Reunions
by Laina Mayes
Summary: Ten years after the final battle with Galaxia, the Sailor Scouts rally to fight one final enemy, for them and for their future! DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING!
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

Serena was twenty-four. It was ten years after she first became Sailor Moon at the age of fourteen, and she hadn't seen much action since the final battle with Galaxia years ago. She hadn't changed all that much; still a bit clumsy, ditsy, and crybaby-ish, all in all the same Serena Tsukino we've all come to know and love.

She still lived in Tokyo with her cat Luna, however, she had long since moved out of her parents' house and into her own apartment. It was very spacious, and fit her needs nicely.

The year before, she had graduated from a local Tokyo university, with the best grades she had ever gotten in her life. After graduation from Crossroads Junior High, Serena had decided to clean up her act as far as her schoolwork went. She took her cue from her good friend, Amy Mizuno, and stuck to her work like glue to paper. She did better in high school, and graduated from the university with flying colors. All of her friends, especially Darien Shields, were very proud of her.

After graduation, Serena got a job as store manager at a local supermarket. It wasn't her dream career, however she enjoyed her job, her employees loved working with her, and she made enough money to pay her bills, keep her refrigerator stocked, and even go on an expensive vacation once in a while.

Despite her hectic lifestyle, Serena still managed to keep in touch with her friends and fellow Sailor Scouts.

The last she'd heard from Amy Mizuno, a.k.a. Sailor Mercury, she had achieved her dream of becoming a doctor, and a very good one at that. She was currently living in China with her fiancé, Greg. Their relationship had gone flawlessly throughout the years, and their year-long engagement was proof of that. Serena was, of course, ultimately jealous.

Raye Hino, also known as Sailor Mars, had completed her schooling as a priestess several years earlier, and was now the proud head figure at the Cherry Hill temple. She lived there with the caretaker, Chad, because she needed someone there after her grandfather had passed on. While Chad's feelings for Raye hadn't changed at all in the last ten years, Raye would now only admit she _kind of_ had the same feelings for him, however, Serena (and just about everybody else besides Chad) knew better. Raye and Serena still bickered from time to time, but always knew they weren't fooling anybody.

Lita Kino, fomerly Sailor Jupiter, accomplished her dream of opening up her own restaurant. She went to school in New Orleans, Louisiana, and set up the restaurant there as well. It was now doing very well, despite all the competition Lita had (after all, it _is_ New Orleans!). She currently hadn't found that special someone in her life, and continued to go by her rule of dating anyone who even remotely reminded her of her old boyfriend, Freddie. However, she's always keeping her crush on Andrew in mind.

Mina Aino, a.k.a. Sailor V, a.k.a. Sailor Venus, achieved her dreams as well. She was a famous actress and supermodel, constantly making movies and advertisements, and showing off all the latest styles of clothing. She and Artemis have been all around Europe at least seven times. Mina was famous in Europe, Asia, and the United States, so Serena was constantly seeing her face on the covers of many magazines displayed in her store. Of all the Sailor Scouts, it was the hardest to keep in touch with Mina.

As far as Serena's boyfriend, Darien Shields, also known as Tuxedo Mask, he went to the United States to Harvard University, and became a doctor along with Amy and his good friend Andrew. He visited Tokyo as often as he could, which still wasn't enough for him. He and Serena constantly talked to each other on the phone, desperately waiting for the day they'd see each other again. Their relationship had gone through many twists and turns and bumps and bruises, but they loved each other now more than ever, which was all that mattered to either of them.

Along with the Sailor Scouts and the Prince of Earth, everyone they knew and came to love in the past ten years had gone on with their lives a well.

Serena's best friend Molly and her boyfriend Melvin, or Mel as he now preferred to be called, had long since moved away from Tokyo together. Molly and Serena keep in touch, but she avoids any chance to talk to Melvin. In the last ten years, all he'd ever done in terms of change was lose the glasses and get contact lenses, and of course the "name change".

Serena's old teacher Ms. Haruna still had romance problems, but managed to keep her sanity in the process. When Serena graduated from Crossroads, high school, and finally college, Ms. Haruna was both surprised and proud of her former and so far, still the laziest student.

Andrew, the arcade boy whom Serena (and Lita still) had a crush on, became a doctor in the footsteps of his friend Darien, and worked at the local hospital. However, he still worked part-time at the video arcade, where Serena still saw him from time to time. He and his girlfriend Rita were still together, but Andrew rarely talked about their relationship with other people.

The Four Sisters, Katzy, Birdie, Avery, and Prisma, still had their own cosmetics shop, the "Sisters' Secrets" store. They now had several locations throughout Tokyo, but their first full-sized market was best known and visited, for it was the one they personally owned. Serena makes it a habit to shop there for her make-up needs (mostly because the Sisters give her a big discount!). The Sisters also bicker just as much as Raye and Serena, but they too know they just aren't fooling anybody.

Chad, the struggling musician, still worked at the temple with Raye, for whom he would still do just about anything. He had made a fair amount of money in the last few years with the music he's written, so Raye got just a little more used to his occasional singing around the house (but it still drives her nuts).

So all in all, the Scouts and their friends are living their lives happily. But how long can it last? Who knows what evil lurks around the next corner? What dangers lies ahead, stuck in a pothole in the middle of the road of life?


	2. Chapter 1: Reunited and it Feels So Good

**Chapter 1**

**Reunited and It Feels So Good**

Serena Tsukino opened the door of her apartment, walked in, and slammed the door behind her. She then walked into the middle of the living room and plopped into a black leather recliner. She slouched deep into it, the material feeling good against her body.

"Whew!" she huffed. "I am _so _glad to be home!"

As she spoke, a black, furry object on the floor suddenly stirred. Two ears perked up, two eyes opened, a long tail appeared, and soon the black object got up and stretched, revealing itself to be a cat. Its head, with a yellow crescent moon on the forehead, turned towards Serena.

"Oh, it's you," said Luna. "How was your day?"

"Oh, your typical day at the supermarket," said Serena. "Not enough people at the registers, constantly running out of supplies, a few costumers complaining about our 'ridiculous' prices, that kind of thing." Serena slouched deeper into the black leather recliner. "I'm glad to be home…" she finished.

"Good to know you still enjoy your job," Luna joked.

"Oh, be quiet," Serena returned. "Is it me, or is it hot in here?"

"I think so," the cat answered.

Serena got up out of the chair, walked to the side of the room, and flipped a switch on a gray panel on the wall. A whirring sound was heard, and the room almost instantly began to feel a few degrees cooler. Serena plopped back into the recliner, and sighed happily as the cool air flowed through the room and around her body.

She then looked to the side of the room, into the kitchen area. She could see several dishes peeking out over the top of the sink. Serena sank into the chair and sighed.

"Uuuugh…" she complained. "I've got to do the dishes again…"

Probably the only thing Serena disliked about her apartment was, for a living area of such size, the only thing it didn't have was a dishwasher! Serena had to wash her dishes by hand when her sink was full, and it seemed like it was getting full quicker and quicker every time. Serena would have gone out and bought a dishwasher, however, one, she couldn't afford one at the moment, and two, she didn't know _where _to buy one. Luna would have helped her find one, but in this matter she was just as clueless as Serena. So for the moment, they both had to deal with hand washing.

"Any calls for me?" Serena asked.

"No," answered Luna. "The phone's been very silent today."

"Anything at all of est?"

"No."

"In that case," said Serena, getting up from the chair, "I'm going to go lie down for a while; it's been a long day, and I need a rest."

"Whatever you say," the cat said, laying her head back on the floor between her front paws, and closing her eyes. As Serena walked through the room and towards her bedroom door, Luna perked her head up again and asked, "Anything good in the mail today?"

Serena froze in her tracks, then groaned. "Uuuuh… I forgot to pick it up. I'll be right back."

She turned and rushed through the front door, closing it behind her. Luna put her head back on the floor and closed her eyes again. However, no sooner had she done so did she hear the unmistakable sound of Serena screaming, followed by a loud _thud_, as if someone had just clumsily fallen on her face.

Luna shook her head in disgust and said, "Some things never change…"

~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~

Several days later, Serena had the weekend off. On days like this, Serena liked to just walk through the city she lived in, say hello to people she knew, and just plain enjoy her time off from work.

Today, she walked through the streets of Tokyo, down the sidewalk, through crowds of people.

After about an hour of walking, Serena sat down on a sidewalk bench, and rest there.

"Whew!" she puffed. "I needed that!"

She sunk into the bench and looked around. She saw several young, happy couples walking up and down the street, hand in hand. Serena watched them and smiled. She watched one in particular, and imagined the two of them as herself and Darien.

Serena sighed. She felt very comfortable in her surroundings. The cool breeze compensated for the warm summer weather, evening things out perfectly. She felt so comfortable here, that she almost didn't hear someone suddenly call. "Hey, Meatball Head!"

Serena perked up her head and looked to her right, at the source of the call. Even before she could clearly see who it was who called to her, she could tell from the fact that, number one, Darien wasn't in town, and, number 2, it was a female voice, that it could only be one person.

At the end of the street, Serena saw two people walking towards her. One, a female, slightly taller than Serena, with long violet-black hair. The other, a man, even taller than the first, with brown hair that almost came down over his eyes.

"Hi, Raye!" Serena cheerfully called. "Hey, Chad!"

"Hey, Serena," said Raye. "How've you been?"

"Oh, great," Serena answered. "Things couldn't be better over at the market. How are things at the temple?"

"Unfortunately," said Raye, the smile gone from her face, "things could be better."

Serena stopped smiling and looked worried at her long-time friend. "Really?" she asked. "What's wrong?"

Raye continued, "Lately, we've been having some trouble with a certain group of teenagers that have been hanging around the temple. They've been acting as stupid as humanly possible!"

"You're going to have to be more specific, Raye," said Serena. "By your logic, I can act as stupid as humanly possible."

"What I mean," Raye continued, "is that they've been causing all sorts of trouble."

"It's, like, your basic gang of hoodlums," Chad explained. "They harass the visitors, they swear, they fight…"

"They even smoke!" Raye broke in.

Serena cringed and grimaced. "Eew!" she said. "Why would anyone want to do that to their body?"

"Beats us," said Chad. "Once we even caught them in the back with a bunch of spray paint! We chased them away each time they started anything, and they threatened us a few times too when we did."

"And after that thing with spray cans, they started throwing rocks at the windows!" Raye said.

"I don't believe it!" Serena said. "Was anything broken?"

"Fortunately, no," said Chad. "It's a good thing the temple doesn't have that many windows to break!"

"It'll be bad enough if they break any windows," said Raye. "If they break anything on the inside, it'll be war, let me tell you! Someone of that stuff is priceless, and irreplaceable! If anything happened to any of that stuff, Grandpa would roll over in his grave!"

"Well, I'm sorry to hear about all that," said Serena. "Look, if you two need anything to pay for those windows, I'm sure I can talk to my supervisors, and they can get you some extra money to…"

"Thanks, Serena," said Raye, with a smile, "but I doubt your market will want to spend the extra money just on some stupid local temple."

"Oh please!" Serena returned. "The market has trouble with hoodlums day in and day out! Hardly a day goes by without some juvenile delinquent causing me some trouble. And as for the money, my supervisors couldn't care less about lending it to me! I'm always under budget every month anyway, so they have the extra funds. If you guys need it, I can get it for you, I swear!"

Raye was taken aback by this. Never in her life had she seen Serena with such a humanitarian attitude. She and Chad both smiled.

"Thanks, Meatball Head!" said Raye. "It could help us a lot, but I won't call you unless it gets really serious."

"Well, call me if there's anything else I can do to help. I don't like seeing my friends in trouble."

"We will," Raye said, then glanced at her watch. "We need to get back to the temple and make sure that gang didn't break in and steal anything. See you later, Meatball Head!"

Raye turned and took Chad with her. They both waved, then walked away. Serena waved back, then sat back in her chair and sighed happily.

Things had definitely changed between her and Raye in the last ten years. She was happy with the way their relationship went, and was glad to see Raye as content as she was. Not only that she was the head priestess at her own temple, but that she had Chad as well. Even though Raye wouldn't admit it to anyone, Serena knew Raye felt the same way about Chad that he did about her. But it wasn't Serena's job to bring them together; she knew eventually Raye herself would do that.

Serena looked at the time, then got up and continued her walk.

~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~

Serena continued her walk through the city. About an hour later, she found herself outside the video arcade and ice cream parlor, which was now turned into a full-fledged restaurant. Serena, feeling particularly hungry, decided to get herself some lunch.

She walked in and surveyed the scene. The lines at the counter were short, so she didn't have to wait long to make her order. At several tables, she saw young couples sharing ice cream together, and it made Serena reminisce about times she's spent here with Darien.

Despite her reputation of having a carnivorous appetite, Serena went light on the lunch, that is, compared to her normal diet. She ordered a double hamburger, fries, and a chocolate milkshake. She ate them at a normal rate, not scarfing them down in a millisecond, and actually stopped to enjoy the taste of the food in her mouth.

After she finished the burger and fries, she slowly slurped down her milkshake, watching the couples, people making their orders. She was so engrossed in watching them, she didn't even notice the tall, blonde-haired man walk up to her and say:

"Hey, Serena! Long time no see."

Serena turned her head towards the voice and got a good look at the man. He wore blue jeans, a light blue shirt, and a white apron. He was leaning against booth she sat in, with a small glass of water in one hand, the other in his pocket. Serena's eyes lit up, and she smiled.

"Hi, Andrew!" she cried. "Where have you been? I haven't seen you around here in a while! How are you?"

"I'm fine," he said. "Things were a little hectic at the hospital, but I finally got some time off for all the hours I've been working lately. How are things for you?"

"Okay, I guess," she said.

"How are Chad and Raye?"

"Could be better," Serena answered. "They've been having a lot of trouble with this one group of teenagers…"

Andrew shook his head in disgust. "They're having problems with that gang of hoodlums too, huh?" he asked.

"What do you mean?"

"We've had trouble with those kids too," Andrew explained. "They've been coming here often, harassing the customers, kicking the machines around, even trying to steal quarters out of the change machine!"

Serena shook her head. "I had no idea me and Raye and Chad weren't the only ones having trouble with those kids!" she commented.

"Oh yeah," he said. "Everyone in the neighborhood has trouble with these guys. And when they're out of this neighborhood, they harass the people in the area they ARE in."

"Kind of makes you think some teens are going through some mental disease, doesn't it?"

"You got it," he said. "It makes me sick every time I have to chase those kids away from the arcade."

"Well enough about that," said Serena. "What's new with you?"

"Not much," Andrew said. "We haven't gotten any new machines in a while, and the customers are starting to complain."

Serena smiled, then looked behind him. The edge of the arcade was at least twenty feet from where the two of them were, and there didn't seem to be anyone supervising things in the area. She looked back up at Andrew.

"Isn't your supervisor going to be angry that you're away from your post?" she asked.

Andrew chuckled, then answered, "Serena, I am the supervisor!"

"Really?!"

"Yep," he said. "Just got promoted a few weeks ago."

"That's great!" Serena said. "Now we're both the bosses of our own business!"

"That's right," he said. He held up his glass of water. "Here's to being the boss!"

"I'll drink to that," Serena said. She raised her milkshake, and "clinked" it against his glass. He took a sip of water, and she continued slurping down the shake. They both then put down their beverages.

"So how's Darien?" Andrew asked. "I know you two keep in touch."

"Oh, he's fine," she said. "Things are going great in New York for him."

"That's good to hear," he said.

"Have you heard from him at all?" Serena asked. "He's _your _friend too, you know."

"Oh, of course!" he answered. "He gives me a call every once in a while. We talk about old times, what's going on now, we make a few prank calls…" The smile faded from Serena's face, and she stared wide-eyed at him. "I'm kidding, Serena."

~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~

After lunch and her conversation with Andrew, Serena left the arcade and continued her walk through the city. Sometimes, on days like these, she liked to walk aimlessly, just for the fun of seeing where she'd end up. Today was such a day, in which she didn't much care where she was going, as long as she was enjoying herself in the process. And she was having fun, which was all that mattered to her.

She made her way down the street, past groups of people, shops, stores, malls, etc. She was oblivious to anything going on around her at the moment, paying little attention to even the direction she was going in.

Unfortunately, it was this that made her bump into someone as she turned a corner.

Both Serena and the mystery person let out a loud "OOF!", then fell to the ground, the packages the person carrying getting scattered around the area they were in. Serena slowly got up, her back to the person she'd bumped into.

"Whoa!" Serena said. "I am so sorry!"

"No, it's my fault…" the person said, in a very familiar voice.

At the sound of the voice, Serena turned around to get a look at the person she'd bumped into. She was picking up her packages. She was a small woman, a little under Serena's size, with long, wavy, dark purple hair. The woman looked up and smiled at Serena. Serena smiled back when she realized who it was.

"Katzy!" she said. "I am so sorry, I didn't know it was you!"

"Hi, Serena!" Katzy said back. "How are you?"

"Oh, I'm great!" she said. "How are your sisters?"

"Oh, they're fine," said Katzy.

"Sorry I knocked all your stuff out of your hands," said Serena, bending down to help her with the packages. "What is all this stuff, anyway?"

"Just some extra inventory," Katzy said. "I'm the youngest, so Birdie, Avery, and Prisma make _me_ run all the errands. Whether it's getting more eye shadow or just taking the day's income to the bank, I'm always the one to run out and do something for _them_!"

"Sorry to hear that," said Serena, handing Katzy some of the packages. "Let me help you carry these in; it's my fault you lost 'em."

"Thanks, Serena, but I got 'em," Katzy replied, taking the last of the packages from her. They both then stood up.

Serena looked towards the white building, up at the sign of the front of it. It read, in gold and silver letters, in cursive writing, "SISTERS' SECRETS".

"Wow," Serena said. "I didn't even realize I was walking by the cosmetics shop."

"Well, I guess it's just one of those places you run into," Katzy said. "So how are Chad and Raye?"

"Could be better," Serena said. "Hoodlum problems."

"Them too? That's too bad." she said, then smiled mischievously. "How's _Darien?"_

Serena blushed. "He's fine."

"So do you want to come in for a few minutes?" Katzy asked. "My sisters would love to see you, and we just got some great new products!"

Serena was about to answer, when she saw a large clock on a lamp post behind Katzy. It was about 7:30 P.M. "I'd love too, Katzy," she finally answered, "but I've got to get home. Luna's probably wondering where I am. Maybe next time, though."

Suddenly, a voice behind both of them called out, "Hey, Katzy! How about getting that stuff in here sometime today, huh?"

They both turned to the white building, and poking her head out of a glass door was a woman with icy blue hair spun into a braid in the back of her head. It was Katzy's older sister, Birdie.

"I gotta go too," said Katzy. "I'll see you 'round."

"See ya," Serena called as she walked away, meanwhile waving to Birdie, who politely waved back, a smile on her pretty face.

Serena sighed happily. She was glad she knew so many people who she could really call friends. Raye, Chad, Andrew, Katzy and the other Sisters… it made her feel very good about herself.

Realizing Luna would be upset if shegot home too late, Serena hailed a taxi and headed for home.

~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~

Serena walked in the door of her apartment and dropped into the leather recliner in the middle of her living room. She sighed and smiled to herself, then leaned back in the chair. Meanwhile, Luna was getting up off the floor, and jumped on the back of the recliner, looking down on Serena.

"You must have had quite a day," said Luna. "You're not usually back this late from your weekend walks."

"Well, I walked a long way," Serena replied. "Plus, I got to talk to Raye, Chad, Andrew, and Katzy along the way."

"Well, that's nice to hear," Luna said. "How are they?"

"They're fine," she said. "They're all having problems with that gang of hoodlums, but otherwise they're just dandy."

"That's good." the cat said, with a yawn, as she lay her head down and went to sleep.

Serena sighed again, and the smile faded from her face. Talking to all these friends she'd made in the past made her wish things were like they used to be; Raye bickering with her non-stop, Amy scolding her about schoolwork habits, Darien teasing her every time they met.

She got up out of the recliner, and walked over to a bookcase on the right side of the room. She stood in front of it, and pulled on a green-covered book. However, as soon as she pulled it, it pulled back, and a section of the bookcase, made to look like a row of books, turned around on an axel.

The section of the bookcase made a full 180-degree turn, revealing a hidden glass display case, that opened up and popped out. Serena looked at the contents of the display, with thoughts of the past running through her head.

On the inside of the case, four old relics of the past were displayed.

One, Serena's original transformation locket, given to her by Luna to transform into Sailor Moon when her life as the champion of justice began. It had been restored, even after its mysterious destruction years ago.

Another, the Crescent Moon Wand, used by her when Zoycite began looking for the Rainbow Crystals, and what she'd used to turn monsters back into humans again.

A third, the Moon Scepter, given to her by her mother Queen Serenity, after she went into a mental coma during a fight with one of Alan and Ann's Cardian monsters. It was what she used thereafter to destroy the Cardians, heal the Doom Tree, and defeat the droids of the Four Sisters and the rest of the Black Moon Family.

And the fourth, displayed in front of the other three, was the Imperium Silver Crystal, formed by the seven Rainbow Crystals when Tuxedo Mask had been injured, and what revealed Serena as the Moon Princess, and the past she'd led over a thousand years earlier.

Serena stared at these relics in awe, remembering all the times she'd transformed into her alter ego to save her friends and family from some intergalactic demon.

To the right of the bookcase, several photographs were framed and hanging on the wall. Serena turned her attention from the display to these photos, and looked at them one by one. They were pictures taken of Amy, Raye, Lita and Mina, and a larger one of the entire group, including Serena. She looked at all of them, remembering.

She looked at Amy's photo, and remembered when she'd first moved to Tokyo, and transferred to Crossroads Junior High. Some of Serena's friends were gossiping about her, and Serena decided to get to know her herself. However, their first conversation got off to a bad start when…

"Melvin told me that you said I would be a total snob!" Amy had said.

Serena laughed nervously, blushed, and replied, "Oh, he did, did he? Uh… look, that was all just gossip; none of us meant a word of it!"

Serena looked at Raye's picture, and remembered when a bunch of transport busses were disappearing from the Cherry Hill Temple. Amy and Serena investigated the matter, which was when they met Raye. Raye had suddenly started acting strange, saying she'd felt an evil force. She revealed a white "anti-evil" scroll…

"By the power of all that is good, _I banish you_!" Raye chanted.

From Serena's point of view, all went black for the next 30 minutes or so, because Raye had slammed the scroll on Serena's forehead, completely knocking her out.

From Lita's picture, Serena remembered one day (of many) day when she was late for school. She ran down the street and around the corner, and accidentally slammed into the leader of a macho tough-guy gang. They were about to pound Serena into the dirt when…

"Hey!" Lita had cried. "Why don't you pick on someone your own size?!"

"Oh, I'm so scared!" the leader said. "This girl thinks she can beat me up! Well, I'd like to see that!"

As the old saying goes, "Be careful what you wish for." For right after his remark, Lita proceeded to fight allthree of them, and knock them to the pavement with a few sore spots.

The next time they'd met was at school, where Serena saw her having her lunch alone. Melvin tried to warn Serena to stay away, but she walked up behind her all the same. When she was within a foot of her…

Lita turned her head and demanded, "_What do you want_?!"

Even from this bad start, Serena and Lita became friends afterward.

Serena looked at Mina's photo, and remembered one time when Sailor Moon, Mercury, Mars, and Jupiter were fighting Zoycite and, for the first time, Malachite. He had trapped them in a black bubble, which was slowly closing in on them, with absolutely no means of escape. It looked hopeless, until…

_"Venus Crescent Beam Smash_!" a voice yelled.

A yellow ray of light struck the black dome from the outside, disintegrating it completely, and freeing the Sailor Scouts. Everyone turned to see the person they knew as Sailor V. The mysterious fighter jumped to the ground and removed her mask, revealing herself as Sailor Venus. And from behind the scene, a white cat with the same crescent shape on his forehead as Luna's, jumped out and introduced himself as Artemis.

Zoycite and Malachite fled the scene, while the Sailor Scouts looked in awe at their surprise rescuer.

Serena looked at the picture of the entire group, and remembered everything they'd been through together in the last ten years.

Serena turned from the smaller pictures, and turned to an even larger one, the largest of all, in fact. It was a picture of her and Darien. She sat with her back to him, with his arms wrapped around her, both of them smiling for the camera. It had been taken at an amusement park, by a friend of theirs who happened to be there. Serena looked at the picture and sighed, then looked to the ground with her eyes closed.

A tear slowly ran down her cheek. "You'll see him again," a voice said.

Serena wiped the tear from her face and turned her head, to see Luna sitting on the floor behind her.

"You know that, don't you?" she asked.

"Of, course I do, Luna," said Serena, turning back to the picture. "It's just that I wish I knew when…"

"Serena," said Luna, walking up next to her. "I'm sure, that wherever Darien is right now, whatever he's doing, his thoughts are of you, and how very much he loves you. Don't ever forget that."

Serena thought about what the cat had just said. In her mind, she could just imagine Darien saying, "I love you, Meatball Head."

Serena smiled and said, "Thanks, Luna."

"No problem," the cat said.

~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~

Monday came, and Serena was back at work. She was walking down the candy aisle of the supermarket, clipboard in hand, and checking things off as she saw them.

"M&M's… check… Bubble gum… check… Milky Ways, Snickers… check… Hershey bars… check…" she said, as she checked things off.

As she continued checking, one of Serena's employees, a Chinese girl named Nia Chen, ran up to her.

"Serena!" she called.

"What's up, Nia?" Serena asked, looking up from the clipboard.

"I think you should know," Nia said, "that we're running out of everything in the pasta section. People are starting to complain."

"Well," said Serena, "have you checked in back to see if there's any more in inventory?"

"Uh, no."

"Well, do that," she continued, "and if there isn't anymore, let me know and I'll put out an order for tomorrow. Okay?"

"Thanks, Serena," Nia said, a smile on her face.

"No prob," she said, turning back to the clipboard as Nia walked away.

Serena continued checking things off on her list, walking down the aisle. She didn't even notice the woman walking up in front of her.

"Excuse me," the woman said. "Serena?"

Serena looked up at the woman addressing her. The woman was her height, wearing a white T-shirt, blue vest, and black pants, and with a head of aqua blue hair. The initials that were printed on the vest spelled out "A M". Serena eyes shot wide open when she realized who it was.

"Amy?!" she cried. "Amy Mizuno, is that you?"

Serena dropped her clipboard, and the two old friends exchanged a hug. They pulled apart, and checked each other out.

"Oh my god, Amy, you look fabulous!" Serena commented.

"Thanks," Amy said back. "You look great yourself!"

"What are you doing back in Tokyo?" Serena asked. "The last I'd heard from you, you got engaged to Mr. Wonderful, Greg!"

Amy blushed and answered, "I decided to take a few weeks off of work and pay a surprise visit to the best friend I've ever had. We haven't seen or heard from each other in too long!"

"Girlfriend, I couldn't agree with you more!" Serena replied. "So how are you?"

"I'm great," she answered. "Things are going wonderfully in China with me and Greg. He sends his regards, by the way. You?"

"Oh, things couldn't be better!" Serena said. "Everybody here in Tokyo is doing fine."

"Well, why don't we discuss it over lunch?" Amy suggested.

"I would Amy, I really would," she said, "but I've got to be here until 5:00. Why don't you stick around until then, and then we can both go surprise Raye! She is going to get a kick out of this!"

Amy giggled and answered, "Sounds like a plan to me!"

~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~

Five o'clock came, and as soon as it did, both Serena and Amy were in her car, headed for the Cherry Hill Temple to give Raye the biggest surprise she'd ever had.

The parked outside the temple grounds, and slowly and quietly made their way in, trying as best they could not to disturb anyone or anything.

"This is going to be so great!" Serena whispered. "Raye is going to be stoked when she sees you!"

"I know," Amy replied. "She hasn't seen me since the last time you did."

They crept their way through the temple hallways, headed for where they thought their friend Raye Hino might be at the moment. The raced past open doors to room that had people in them, and quietly passed closed ones as well.

They thought they had it pretty good, until they turned a corner, and bumped into someone. Serena went falling backwards, slamming into Amy, and sending them both to the floor in a two-person heap. The embarrassed pair looked up at the surprised individual they'd bumped into, who stared down at them. It was Chad.

Both smiled sheepishly, waved and said, "Hi, Chad."

"Am-" Chad began to say, but before he could finish, Serena shot to her feet and covered his mouth.

"Not so loud!" she whispered, uncovering it. "We're trying to surprise Raye; where is she?"

"Meditating in the fire room," Chad answered. "Amy, how totally cool that you're here! Raye is so gonna love this!"

"Thanks, Chad," Amy said politely.

Serena kept creeping down the hall, with Amy and Chad close behind her. The three of them made their way to the fire room, where Chad silently opened up the door. Sure enough, sitting in front of a blazing hearth fire, locked in meditation, was the Sailor Scout of the planet Mars, Raye Hino.

"You're sure she won't be angry that we're interrupting her meditation?" Amy asked.

"Believe me, Ames," said Serena. "She'll forget all about it the instant she sees you!"

The two slid through the door, and stood behind Raye, who obviously hadn't heard them in the least. They waited for a minute or so to make sure Raye didn't notice them, then they both said aloud, in unison:

"Hi, Raye!"

Raye shot her eyes open and sprung to her feet, startled by the sudden greeting. She then hunched over in anger and began to turn around.

"Serena!" she growled. "How many millions of times have I told you not to…"

She stopped when she saw the blue-haired girl standing next to Serena. The scowl on her face instantly turned into a smile.

"Amy!" she cried. "My god, I can't believe it!"

Amy and Raye wrapped their arms around each other, laughing. It was truly a happy occasion. The first three Inner Sailor Scouts were once again together.

~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~

Raye served up some tea and muffins for her friends, and they engaged each other in conversation. They talked for hours upon hours, for Raye hadn't seen Amy in the same amount of time that Serena had, which was a period of about four months.

"So what's been going on?" asked Raye.

"Not much of interest," Amy replied, sipping some tea. "The hospital can get pretty hectic at times, and things at home can be pretty crazy too, but Greg and I manage."

"So how long have you two been engaged?"

Amy looked over at a calendar on the wall of the room, and say that the next day to be crossed out was June 14. She thought about the question for a minute. "About 13 months next Tuesday," she answered. "We haven't been able to afford a wedding yet, even on both our doctors salaries. Most of what we earn goes toward food, taxes, and the house payments."

"Well, why don't you move into a cheaper place?" Serena suggested.

"We would," she replied, "except we figure it'll cost us even more to move now, and then we're right back where we started when we first moved to Hong Kong. And besides, the house payments are the least of our worries. It's getting behind on our payments that worries us."

"I'm sorry to hear things are so crazy," said Raye.

"It's really no problem for us," Amy said. "Greg and I do what we can."

"So where do you plan on staying?" Raye asked.

Amy's eyes lit up in astonishment. "Now that I think about it, I'm not sure. I guess I can just rent a room at a hotel or something like that."

Serena gulped down the rest of her tea and put her cup down. "No way!" she exclaimed. "No friend of mine is staying in some over-priced Motel 6!"

"Well, what would you suggest, Meatball Head?" Raye asked.

"You can stay at my place, Ames," Serena said. "I've got plenty of room. I've got an entire extra bedroom for you to sleep in, and I'm sure I can scrounge up some extra sheets and blankets too."

"I wouldn't want to impose…" Amy began.

"You? Impose? No way!" Serena replied.

"Sorry, Serena," Raye joked, "but I highly doubt our friend the good doctor would want to spend her vacation risking her own mental health in that bottomless pit you call an apartment!"

Serena turned to Raye and replied, "You've never even been to apartment, so you can just zip it!"

Amy shook her head in disgust and said to no one in particular, "Some things never change…"

The two friends stopped their argument for a second. "Actually, Amy," said Raye, "you'd be surprised how much Serena's changed lately. The ditsy, clumsy, flaky Meatball Head you met ten years ago no longer exists!"

"Well, she exists a little," said Serena, disregarding Raye's obvious insult. "So what do you say, Ames?" she asked. "A few weeks stay at Chateau Tsukino, free of charge on meals and room service?"

Amy smiled and answered, "Sounds good to me!"

Serena jumped to her feet, threw her hand in the air in excitement, and exclaimed, "Great!" she then looked down at Amy and asked, "Uh… what about your stuff. Your luggage, I mean?"

Amy's face turned to a surprised expression. She blushed and grinned sheepishly. "Now that I think about it," she said, "I think I left all my luggage at the airport!"

Serena and Raye both sweat-dropped.

~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~

After their afternoon and early evening with Raye, Serena and Amy hopped in her car and went to the airport to pick up Amy's luggage. It took a little while to actually get in, because the security guard wouldn't let them past the metal detector. After about an hour of arguing with the tall, red-haired "gentleman", they finally made their way to the baggage claim where Amy picked up two heavy blue suitcases and a small handbag of the same color.

After that, Serena and Amy drove back to her apartment where they intended to surprise Luna.

Serena slowly unlocked and opened the door and looked in, with Amy hidden behind the wall. Serena surveyed the room, and noticed a black shape moving on the back of the recliner. It turned out to be Luna, who stretched, yawned, and looked at Serena.

"Well look who finally decided to come home!" the cat said. "It's nearly 10:30!"

"I know that, Luna," Serena said. "Aside from that, look who I caught!"

With that, Serena reached behind the wall, and pulled out the blue-haired woman hiding there. Amy blushed, smiled and waved.

"Hi, Luna…" she said timidly.

"Amy!" Luna exclaimed, jumping down from the recliner and running into Amy's arms. Amy hugged her tightly, Luna purring. She then jumped down to the floor and looked up at the two of them.

"Oh, Amy, it's so good to see you! However did you find the time to get here all the way from Hong Kong?" Luna asked.

"I just asked for a few weeks off, and my boss gave it to me!" Amy replied. "I can't stay away from Tokyo forever."

"And what's even better," said Serena, "is that Amy's going to be staying with us in the extra bedroom while she's in town! Is that mega-cool or what?"

"That's wonderful!" Luna cried. "How long are you going to be here, Amy?"

"About a month," Amy replied. "Then I have to go back."

"Only a month?" asked Serena. "Darn!"

"I wish I could stay longer, but I just couldn't get the time off from work," Amy explained. "And I can't leave Greg at home all alone for that long!"

"Well…?" said Luna.

"Well, what?" asked Amy.

"When are you two tying the knot?" Luna replied. "You've been engaged for at least a year now, and the wedding is long overdue!"

"We would have done it a while ago," Amy answered, "but we can never seem to find the money to pay for it. Even though we're both doctors, our salaries simply can't pay for it all. We'd ask for raises, but we're both doing so well at the hospital, we don't want to ruin it."

"That's too bad," said Serena. "Look, Ames, if you really need the money, you should have come to me! I can go to my supervisors over at the market, and I'm sure they…"

"Not another word, Serena!" Luna sharply cut in. "You've already told Raye you'd go to your bosses if those hoodlums broke anything at the temple! I seriously doubt after that they'll allow you to take the money you need for a whole wedding! Now enough of this borrowing money from your workplace to support your friends! You have enough trouble paying for this apartment as it is!"

Instantly, Serena's eyes turned from blue to red.

"And what is that supposed to mean?!" she angrily snapped. "Since when have I had any trouble paying for this place, huh, tell me that! Everything in here was successfully paid for by me! Yeah, that's right, me! See that refrigerator? And all the food in it? Feel the air conditioning? See that TV, and cable box, and sofa, and everything in here?! I paid for that, with my money! So don't you go telling me about my so-called 'financial problems', missy!"

Both Luna and Amy looked shocked at Serena. Luna toppled onto her side, the shocked expression still there. Meanwhile, Serena's eyes turned their normal color, and she looked at her blue-haired friend and her cat in surprise.

"Whoa," she said.

Serena and Amy both knelt down to Luna's petrified body.

"Sorry, Luna," said Serena. "I've really worked my butt off to get where I am today, and get everything I have, and it really ticks me off when anyone says otherwise."

"Think nothing of it…" the cat said.

"I must say, Serena, you've really changed in the last few years. I really admire what you've done with your life, both at home and at your job. The girl I met ten years ago has certainly changed for the better.

"Well, I'm flattered!" Serena said, blushing.

"And I'm flattened!" a weary voice said.

Both Amy and Serena looked down, and realized they were leaning on poor Luna! They pulled their hands away and smiled sheepishly.

"Well, enough of that! Let me show you the extra bedroom where you'll be sleeping," said Serena.

Serena took Amy into the hallway, and through a door, into an almost empty room, where she instantly turned on the lights. It was a bedroom, all right. The bed was bare, and the only other things in the room were a brown wood dresser and a mirror on the closet door. Besides that, there was a small window on the side of the room, looking out over the city.

"Well, what do you think?" Serena asked.

"It's nice," said Amy. "Empty, but nice."

"Glad you like it, Ames," Serena replied. "While you unpack, I'll see if I can't find you some extra sheets and stuff. Okay?"

"Okay."

Serena left the room, while Amy retrieved her luggage and brought it into the room.

~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~

When Serena returned with the sheets, Amy was in the middle of unpacking her things. One of her suitcases and her bag had already been emptied, while the other suitcase lay half-empty on the bare bed.

"Make yourself right at home," Serena said, as she entered the room.

"Thanks," Amy replied, putting some clothes in the dresser.

Serena surveyed the suitcase. Even though it was half-empty, it still looked like it alone had enough clothes to last at least three weeks.

"Wow, how much stuff did you bring along?" Serena asked.

"Plenty," Amy answered, "and a few extras, just to make the room look a little nicer."

She told the truth, for on top of the dresser were several pictures of herself and Greg, and one of herself and Serena, along with the rest of the Inner Sailor Scouts.

"Nice to know you brought a few mementos," Serena said.

She put the extra sheets on the bed next to the suitcase, than sat down. She looked down at the contents of the suitcase, and noticed something out of the ordinary. It was a small, cylindrical, aqua blue-colored object, with the shape of a star on the end of it. Serena's eyes widened when she realized what it was.

"Hey!" she cried. "You still have your Mercury transformation wand!"

Amy turned and took the wand out of the suitcase. "Well, of course I do!" she said. "I never go anywhere without. I keep on me at all times, to make sure I remember one of the best times of my life."

"You consider your life as Sailor Mercury one of the best times of your life?"

"Yes," Amy answered. "And so do Lita and Mina!"

"Really?"

"Oh, yes! Mina and Lita have told me themselves how they keep their wands, just to remind them of you and all the things we've gone through together!"

"They never told me that!" Serena said.

"I'm surprised they haven't," Amy commented, examining the wand, the light of the room making it shine like a star. "They've told me several times. If my memory serves me correctly, Mina told me she turned hers into a keychain so she'll always have it with her."

Serena thought about what her blue-haired friend had just told her, then walked out of the room. Amy curiously followed her.

The two made their way to the living room, where Serena approached the bookcase. There, she pulled on the green book, and the secret display revealed itself and its contents; the Transformation Locket, the Crescent Moon Wand, the Moon Scepter, and the Imperium Silver Crystal. Amy stared in awe at the display, eye and mouth wide open.

"This is amazing!" Amy said.

"I had this made while I was in college; to always remind me of all we'd been through. Of you, Raye, Lita, Mina, and Darien. I never once imagined that you and the others did too!"

Serena turned to the pictures on the wall next to the bookcase, to the photos of Amy, Raye, Lita, Mina, and the whole group. Serena grabbed the frame of each one and pulled it open like the door to a safe. Inside, hidden underneath the photos, were pictures of Serena's friends in their Sailor Scouts uniforms, all of them in their transformation poses. The one of the group had them all standing side by side, arms crossed, ready for a challenge.

Finally, Serena pulled back the frame of the picture of herself and Darien, revealing a picture of Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask, Sailor Moon giving her salute, and Tuxedo Mask holding rose and fighting cane.

"I always look at these pictures, and remember all the years of fighting," Serena said. "And it feels good to know my friends do too…"

Amy put her hand on her blonde friend's shoulder, and they both looked at the display, and the photos.

~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~

A few days later, Serena was back at work at the supermarket. During the day, there were several customer rushes, several people had to leave in the middle of the day, and several products were sold out, but all in all, it was a typical day at the market Serena Tsukino.

During the day, Serena called home to check up on Amy, just to see how she was doing. She was of course fine, catching up with Luna, or just checking the place out.

All morning long, all Serena could think about was having her lunch. She would have snacked on it a little, except it was in her locker on the other side of the store, and she couldn't leave her desk, which was covered in job application, which Serena had the displeasure of having to sort through, one by one. It amazed her at the number of people wanting to work at the market, compared to the number of people that actually did when they were hired.

Still, all Serena could think about was getting her lunch. Over the years of living alone in her spacious apartment, Serena had learned to become quite an exceptional cook. While nothing compared to what her friend Lita Kino could whip up, Serena's food still got applause all the same.

It seemed like every five minutes Serena was looking up at the clock. She didn't know why today she was so anxious to get to her lunch break, and she didn't care, whether she was really hungry, or just wanted an excuse to get away from the job applications.

Finally, 12:00 rolled around, and Serena jumped out of her chair. She put the remainder of the applications in a stack, picked them up, opened the door of her office, and walked out.

Little did she know, however, that after he walked out… someone else walked in…

Serena walked across the aisle, towards one of her employees, a brown-haired high school student named Josh. He had gotten a part-time job at the market, and worked there when he wasn't swamped with homework. Serena couldn't help but feel sorry for him.

"Been there, done that," she'd tell him.

Today, she headed in his direction and called out his name. "Hey, Josh!"

The brown haired boy turned in her direction, and she handed him the rest of the job applications.

"Could you do me a favor and take care of the rest of these for me?" she asked. "I've been waiting for lunch all morning!"

"Sure thing," he said. "I know what it feels like. It seems like four hours seems like four centuries, huh?"

"You got it," she said, walking past him. "And thanks!"

She headed to the other side of the building, to a wall of lockers. She fingered past some of them, and found hers. She opened it up, and gasped at what she saw.

Nothing. The locker was empty. Someone had taken her lunch.

Serena stared in disbelief at the empty locker, then walked back through the store, grumbling to herself. Not only did she now not have a lunch, but she knew she didn't have enough money on her to buy herself lunch from the local fast-food place. She walked back through the door of the office, and then stared wide-eyed at what she saw sitting on her desk.

On the desk was what looked like a hot, freshly made meal, fully set up, complete with chopsticks. Grilled chicken, fried rice, and a side of steamed vegetables. Just the sight and smell of it made Serena's mouth water. But she couldn't for the life of her figure out how it got there!

"What the…" she said. "How in the world…?

"You've been brown-bagging way to long, Serena!" a familiar voice said.

Serena whirled around to see a tall, black silhouette leaning in the doorway. She walked into the light of the office and revealed herself. She was tall, that was for sure, with long brown hair that was tied in a thick ponytail in the back of her head, held together by a green, beaded scrunchie. Serena's eyes widened even more.

"Oh my god, Lita!" she cried, running into the girl's arms. The two exchanged a long hug, and they pulled apart.

"Oh my god, Lita, what are you doing here?" Serena asked.

"Visiting you, silly!" Lita replied. "I decided to take a few weeks off to come see one of my best friends!"

"That is… that is just beyond incredible!" Serena commented. "Does Raye know you're here?"

"Oh yeah!" Lita answered. "The temple was closest to the airport, so I went over and visited her first."

Suddenly, from behind the wall, Raye Hino walked out and revealed herself. "And we decided to surprise you," she said, "to get you back for the shock you gave me when you brought Amy over!"

"Well, now we're even!" Serena replied, then squealed with joy. "Oooh! I can't wait to tell Amy about this!"

"Actually, we beat you to it," said Lita. "We called her from the temple. You should have heard her scream with joy when she heard my voice on the phone!"

"Oh sure, ruin the surprise for me!" Serena complained. "But… this is just absolutely the weirdest week of my life! Two of my best friends come back to Tokyo? Wow, that is just so cool!"

"You're telling me!" said Lita. "You should have seen my face when Raye told me that Amy was in town too!"

"I'll just guess for now!" said Serena. "I'd offer you a place to stay, except I already gave Amy my only spare room!"

"Oh, no problem," said Lita. "Raye offered me a room back at the temple."

"Oh, good," said Serena. "Hey! Why don't we all have dinner at my place?"

"That sounds great!" Raye cried.

"You got the food, I can cook it up!" said Lita.

"Oh, no way!" Serena argued. "You just flew all the way from Louisiana, and you already made me this great meal; there's no way I'm going to make you cook dinner for four people!"

"Well who's going to cook, if not me?" asked Lita.

"Yeah, you?" joked Raye.

"As a matter of fact," Serena said, through clenched teeth, "I happen to have become an exceptional cook myself! Living alone for the least several years has forced me to learn a few things on my own! I can cook up anything either of you could! Plus, I've got this nice big fold-out table for everyone to sit at! Sound okay?"

"Sounds all right to me," said Lita.

"It's a dinner date!" said Raye.

~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~

That very night, the foursome joined together at Serena's apartment.

Serena cooked up a fabulous meal, even though Lita couldn't help but want to give her a hand in the preparation of the food, but soon gave up her efforts, as Serena refused to accept help. They all sat down at the table and ate it entirely, talking about old times, new times, what was going on in their lives, and complementing Serena on her surprisingly good cooking talents.

"I just gotta say, Serena," said Raye, "I love what you've done with this place! I don't think I've been over here since you first moved in!"

"Thanks, Raye," she replied. "That means a lot coming from you."

"And kudos on the food!" said Lita. "Even without my help, this stuff is great!"

"Complements to the chef!" Amy declared, holding up her glass. Raye and Lita did the same. Serena blushed.

"Thanks, you guys," she said, smiling. "Y'know if this was ten years ago, you'd all be complaining at me!"

"Well, a lot's changed in the last decade," said Raye. "You're a lot more serious about things, you're responsible, you're holding a steady job, you're a lot cleaner when it comes to your living habits…"

"You financial habits have changed too," said Amy. "You know exactly what to do with your money; you don't waste it on junk food or video games like you used to."

"Thanks," Serena said, blushing even more. It wasn't often she heard her friends talking about like this, and it made her feel good about herself. But she couldn't help but wish some things were like they used to be. She sighed.

"Is something wrong, Serena?" asked Lita.

"Wha-?" she said suddenly. "Oh, oh, nothing, Lita… just… reminiscing…"

"What about?"

"Oh, all the things we've been through together," Serena explained. "All this talk about how I've changed over the years… kind of makes me wish I could go back to ten years ago… and go through it all over again… You even feel like that?"

"Oh, all the time!" Lita said. "I still remember that day I saved you from that tough-guy gang, and then I nearly blew my top at you when we saw each other at school that day!"

Serena smiled. She noticed Lita reach into her shirt, and take something green from her pocket. Serena looked up at it. It was Lita's Jupiter Transformation Wand.

"I look at this thing every day and wonder what it would be like to live it all over again." she said.

Serena looked at the other two sitting at the table. She saw both Amy and Raye reach into their pockets and take out their transformation wands too. The light of the room reflected on them like multi-colored mirrors.

"You see, Serena," said Amy. "Both me and Lita still keep our wands, just to remember you and everyone else."

With that, Serena got up from the table, and walked over to her bookcase. All three of her friends followed her over there. Serena then revealed to them the secret display case, holding the four relics of Sailor Moon. Raye and Lita gasped at the sight, while Amy, having seen it before, simply smiled.

"This is so cool!" Lita exclaimed.

"Cool is such an understatement!" said Raye. "Serena, you never told me about this!"

"I really didn't think I needed to," said Serena. "I had it made while I was in college. My roommate was a major in woodworking and mechanical engineering, so I asked her to build it for, complete with the hidden display. Fortunately, she gladly built it for me, no questions asked. I've kept it a secret ever since. Only a few people know about this, now including you guys, Mina, Darien, and the Four Sisters."

"Wow…" said Raye. Then, she looked to the right of the bookcase, at all the pictures of the former Scouts, and finally at the picture of Serena and Darien. She gasped, then turned to her meatball headed friend.

"Oh my god, I am so sorry, Serena!" she exclaimed. "In all this time, I haven't even mentioned Darien's name! How is he?"

"Oh, he's fine!" Serena said, disregarding Raye's strange apology. "He's doing great over in New York, and he keeps telling me he'll come visit as soon as he can."

With answering Raye's question, Serena couldn't help but remember the time soon after they met; Raye met Darien for the second time, and she found out about his interest in the martial arts, and she almost instantly fell in love with him. The relationship never went anywhere, because Darien had once admitted to his friend Andrew, "I can't even stay interested for five minutes!" The only exception to this was of course Serena, and possibly Serena's "friend" Ann.

As they continued the conversation, they were suddenly cut off as the sound of the door opening caught everyone's attention. Serena stared wide-eyed at the door as it opened slightly. What surprised her about this was, she distinctly remembered locking the door when she came in. She knew she had given keys to her apartment, to all of the former Sailor Scouts and Darien… so this could only be one of two people…

Just then, the head of a blonde-haired girl peeped in the door. The golden-yellow hair flowed behind her, with a red bow in the back of her head.

"Is it safe to come in?" a familiar voice timidly said.

Everyone grew wide-eyed when they realized who it was. Serena, Raye, and Amy all cried out, "Mina?!"

The blonde girl completely walked in the door, fully revealing herself. She wore a blue T-shirt, covered in a white vest, accompanied by a pink skirt and white shoes. No doubt about it; it was Mina Aino.

"Hi everybody!" she said, waving.

Lita chuckled, and walked up next to Mina. "Oh, and I forgot to tell you guys," she said, "that I met Mina at the airport as I was getting off my plane. We both decided to surprise everyone!"

"Oh… my… god…" said Serena, mouth hanging wide open. "Mina! How on earth did you get here?!"

"I hopped on a plane and flew here, silly!" she said, smiling.

"You know what she means, smarty!" Raye said. "How did you find time out of your busy schedule to get your butt over here? I'm surprised you're not swamped with your prestigious acting career to make the time to see your friends!"

"Oh, puh-lease!" Mina snorted. "I've been trying to make the time to get here for the least six, no, my mistake, seven months! Even during the short time that I was actually in Japan at all!"

"Whoa…" said Serena. "This is… this is… oh my god, this is just beyond words! All of my best friends coming back to Tokyo at almost the same time! This is just so wicked cool!"

"You're telling me!" said Lita. "I had no idea I would meet Mina at the airport, just as I was getting off my plane! You all should have seen the looks on our faces when we saw each other!"

"Cool!" Serena cried. "The Inner Scouts are reunited!"

"This is, needless to say, quite a surprise," said Amy. "The chances of all three of us coming back to Tokyo at the same time are gastronomical!"

"Well," Mina broke in. "Let's stop talking about how weird all of this is! How are all you guys?"

During that delightful evening at Serena's apartment, all five of them talked about old times, and what was to come in the future. Mina was in the works of a new Sailor V movie, and was currently dating a fellow actor, who was to play Tuxedo Mask in the movie. Serena snorted at this, stating there was no one to replace the real Tuxedo Mask. Mina couldn't help but agree, but she still thought the guy was cute (and the feeling was mutual).

Now, Mina, Lita, and Amy were roaming around the old town, seeing old friends, visiting the Four Sisters (with a stop at the arcade so Lita could check out Andrew), and other stuff, while Serena had to go back to work. As much as she hated the idea of doing that while her friends were out having a good time, she knew she had to work, and there was no getting around that. The others (except Raye, who'd seen the change firsthand) were astounded to see her loyalty to her responsibilities.

That very day, Serena rushed in the door of her apartment, and slammed it behind her. She was very glad to be home. It had been what you would call "one of those days". She was understaffed the whole day, and things were busy, busy, busy, which was a normal yet still overwhelming thing at the supermarket.

Serena then plopped down in her black leather recliner. She looked around the room. She realized she hadn't cleaned up the table from last night's dinner party, and she needed to do some dusting.

"Hard day?" Luna's voice asked.

Serena looked at the arm of the chair and saw the talking black cat.

"Oh, y'know," she replied, "Little staff, lots of customers, one of those days."

"I see," said Luna. "Well, it must feel good to be home."

"You're telling me," said Serena. "If I had to stay at that market a second longer, I swear, the scream I would have made would shatter the windows for a three-mile radius!"

"Obviously an exaggeration," said Luna, "but definitely what anyone in your position would feel."

"Who died and made you my psychologist?" said Serena, actually lifting up her head to glare at the cat.

"Just commenting," said Luna, who then jumped off the arm of the chair, and started walking towards the open window, and jumped onto the windowsill.

"Where do you think you're going, Luna?" asked Serena.

Luna looked back at her and smiled, then replied, "I told Artemis I'd meet him in a few hours. We're going for a night on the town!"

"You two have fun," said Serena, remembering the close relationship Luna and Artemis had years ago, and in fact still had. Some would say they were as close as Serena and Darien were.

After Luna left, Serena lay her head back in the chair, and thought of her beloved boyfriend, Darien Shields. She remembered countless times she's bumped into him (or vice versa) on the street, and they would get into an argument, which almost always ended in Darien walking away laughing, leaving a fuming mad Serena behind. Only a few times had Serena ever had the upper hand and made Darien angry, and even then it wasn't as satisfying for her as it was for him.

As she reminisced, she slowly closed her eyes and started to fall asleep. It had been a long, tiring day for her, so this wasn't very surprising.

She did sleep, for several hours. By the time she had opened her eyes again, the sun was nothing more than a flaming red inferno peeking out from behind the Tokyo skyline.

"Oy," Serena thought. "How long have I been asleep?"

She looked up at the clock on the wall. It said it was almost 7:30.

"Two hours?" she thought. "Eh, not bad, compared some of my other 'mid-day' naps."

Serena lay her head back on the chair, and closed her eyes again, ready to go back to sleep. She almost did to… until she heard the creaking.

Serena's eyes shot open, and she realized the sound was coming from the door. She sat up and turned around to look at the door, and watched as it suddenly blew shut, after somehow being opened!

Serena could swear she felt a breeze in the room, then looked at the window, which was still open. She sighed.

"Must just be the wind," she thought.

She got up out of the recliner, walked over to window and shut it, then sat back down the chair. She was about to go back to sleep again, when suddenly, she heard it again: the unmistakable sound of a door slowly opening. Serena shot open her eyes again, and looked to the door. It was now hanging open.

Serena cautiously got up out of the recliner, and crept over to the door. She pulled it open further than it already was, and peeked her head out, looking into the hallway, only to find it was completely vacant. No doors were open besides hers, not even the elevator, and there were no people in the hall, minus her head. Serena poked her head back into the room and looked around, to find that besides her, there was no one to be seen.

Serena closed the door and calmly walked back to her recliner and took a seat.

"I've been working way too hard…" she thought to herself, closing her eyes again.

And she would have believed this… that is, until she saw the rose.

Serena's eyes shot open again, and she stared down in surprise at the red rose, stuck stem-first into the arm of the black leather chair. Serena cautiously grabbed the rose by its green stem, and plucked it from the leather. She stared at it wide-eyed, examining the beautiful flower mysteriously left for her to find after being so conveniently distracted from her seat.

After a few minutes of examination and wondering, the look on Serena's face slowly turned from wide-eyed and open-mouthed, to eyes half-closed and smiling. She recognized this "trademark".

Serena got up from the chair, and slowly back away from it, moving slowly into a dark area of the room, concealed in shadow, with nothing immediately noticeable that didn't exactly belong there.

Serena stood with her back to the shadows, still smiling. And even though she didn't see it, she could tell there was a tall, black shape standing behind her…

Just then, Serena outstretched her left arm, and balled her hand into a fist. She then, in less than a split-second, thrust back her elbow, into the shadow of the room. In return, one short, loud sound was made coming right from the shadow:

"Oof!"

Serena turned and backed away from the shadow, and watched as the black shape stumbled forward, clutching its belly with its right hand. As the shape stepped into the light, Serena could clearly see who it was.

Dressed in a black tuxedo, white dress shirt and bow tie, a black and red cape flowing behind him. The head was covered in dark black hair, and over his eyes, he wore a white mask, but even through it, Serena could see the man's dark, dark blue eyes looking at her.

"Y'know, Darien," said Serena, trying her hardest not to laugh hysterically, "If you wanted to scare me half to death, you could have at least suddenly jumped in through the window!"

The man stood up straight, and removed his mask, revealing himself as Serena's beloved boyfriend, Darien Shields.

"There's just something about sneaking in through the front door that I find more satisfying," he replied.

Serena smiled at him, dropped the rose, then ran into Darien's arm, squealing with joy. Darien swung her around and kissed her on the lips. He finally set her down on her feet, and they pulled away from each other. Serena then lay her head on Darien's chest.

"Oh, Darien," she said, "you have no idea how much I've missed you!"

"Oh, don't I?" he asked. "How can I not know when I've missed you just as much?"

Serena looked up and kissed him lightly on the lips, and stared into his dark blue eyes, while he stared into hers.

"How did you find the time to get your butt over here, anyway?" she demanded.

"When something important to you," Darien answered, "you make the time for it! And if it's as important as coming to Tokyo to see the woman I love, then finding the time is well worth it!"

"How sweet," she said. "Oh you are not going to believe this! Amy, Lita, and Mina are all in town as we speak!"

"I know," said Darien. "I saw them all walking down the street on my way over here. I followed them for a while because I thought you were with them, but when I found out you weren't, I made my way here. So that's why it took me so dang long to get here."

"What time did you get into town?"

"About, oh, 6:30," he answered.

Serena simply hugged him even tighter. "Oh, I am so glad to see you!" she said.

"Not as glad as I am to see you, Meatball Head!" Darien said. "I've been planning this trip for over six weeks! Seeing you has been the highlight of my life, and it always will be!"

"How long are you going to be in town this time?" Serena eagerly asked.

"This time, about a month," he replied.

"Only a month?" Serena whined. "That's too bad. I wish you stay longer than that."

Darien smiled, and pushed her away so he could look into her bright blue eyes. "Then I've got some news you're going to love," he said.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

Darien smiled even more.

"Well?" Serena asked impatiently. "What is it?"

"I'm moving back to Tokyo!" he finally said.

Serena's eyes grew wide, and her smile did the same. "What?!"

"I'm moving back!" Darien said. "Isn't that just great?"

"Great?!" Serena cried. "That's a total understatement!" She jumped into his arms again, and Darien swung her around, laughing. "It's the most wonderful thing I've ever heard in my life!"

"I see you approve," said Darien. "I already applied for a job over at Tokyo General. They saw my record, and Andrew made a huge recommendation to them about me when I called him from my plane."

"That's excellent!" Serena cried. "I can't believe you're moving back here! When's the move?"

"Well, after I get back to New York, I'm going to work there another month, pack up my stuff in the meantime, then transport all my stuff to Tokyo."

"Don't tell me you're doing all this just because of me!" said Serena.

"Of course it's for you!" Darien answered. "Serena, I need to be near you. I love you. I've always loved you, and I always will love you. Our relationship has gone through a lot in the last ten years, and I can't let a distance of 7,000 miles ruin that. I want to be here, in Tokyo, with you, to make sure we stay together, for as long as we live."

Serena was truly touched. She looked up lovingly into his dark blue eyes.

"Oh, Darien…" she said.

They reached for each other, and they kissed each other, holding each other affectionately for a long, long time.

~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~

That very evening, all the former Sailor Scouts saw Darien at Serena's apartment, and were just as surprised as she was. That night, they simply sat in the living room, doing nothing but non-stop talking. Any and every topic of conversation they could think of was discussed.

"It's so cool you're moving back to Tokyo, Darien," commented Raye.

"I know," said Darien.

"Well, I think it' cool," said Mina, "that you care enough about Serena to travel over 7,000 miles just to be with her."

"And why shouldn't I?" said Darien. "I need to be around her. Tokyo's where I've lived my whole life, and If Serena's still here, then I want to be here with her."

Serena cuddled next to him affectionately even closer, then sighed. Darien looked down at her, with a semi-worried look on his face.

"Something wrong?" he said.

"What?" she said, looking up at him. "Oh, heck no. Nothing could possibly wrong right now. It's just…"

"What?"

"Well…" she said. "It's just that… I can't help but fell something weird about all this… I mean, all of us being back in Tokyo at the same time? Doesn't something just feel a little… off?"

"Sure, it's a little strange," said Amy. "But what's so bad about it?"

"Yeah, Serena," said Darien. "It's probably just a big coincidence."

Serena smiled at him, and replied, "Yeah… I guess you're right…"

Or is he?

It seems all the former Sailor Scouts are living their lives happily, and Serena's never seen them more content in their lives. And with the news of Darien's return to Tokyo is simply overwhelming.

But how long can it last?


	3. Chapter 2: Evil Awakening

**Chapter 2**

**Evil Awakening**

Darien took Serena's hand into his. "It's where I belong," he said. "In fact, anywhere you are is where I belong."

Serena looked down and blushed. "That's so sweet," said she, truly touched by the feelings he was showing her. She didn't normally hear him say these kinds of things. It was hard for Darien to explain his feelings for Serena in words, but she always knew what he was feeling.

The two of them walked together through a large community garden, holding hands. They used to walk together in this particular garden, until Darien had to leave Japan. Serena walked alone in the garden while he was away, reminiscing on past twists and turns their relationship went through.

"So…" asked Serena, "when do you start at Tokyo General?"

Darien answered, "Andrew was able to convince them to give me a few weeks to unpack my stuff, get settled in, and then I'll start there the Monday afterwards."

"Well, I'm sure you'll do great there."

"I sure hope so," said Darien.

"I don't see why you shouldn't," Serena said. "You said yourself that your supervisors told your one of the best they've ever seen. You're devoted, you're hardworking, everything a good doctor should be and is. And that's what you are too!"

"Thanks," said Darien. "That's the kind of support I need, especially from you. Your trust means more to me than anyone else's opinion."

Serena stopped him in the middle of the paved sidewalk, and looked reassuringly at him. "Darien, it's not a matter of trust," she said. "I know you're a great doctor. You have the same passion for your work that Amy does. And while her devotion to her schoolwork wasn't always a healthy thing the way I see it…"

"I get the idea, Meatball Head."

Serena blushed and looked lovingly into Darien's dark blue eyes. "I just love it when you call me that. My life just wouldn't be the same without it."

The couple put theirs arms around each other and kissed. They held their lips together for several seconds, until they both heard a semi-familiar voice.

"Hey, Darien! Aren't you at least going to buy her dinner first?"

Another voice said, "That's enough, young man."

Serena and Darien looked away from each other for a moment, towards the source of the voices. Serena saw where it was coming from, and sweat-dropped.

"Oy vey!" she said to herself.

From the other side of the garden, the rest of Serena's family walked up to the couple. Mr. and Mrs. Tsukino, and 19-year-old Sammy. They waved to Serena as they walked towards her, and she waved back.

"Get ready to run for it," she silently said to Darien. "My dad's got that look in his eyes!"

"I think I can handle it," Darien replied.

The three finally reached the couple, and Serena's mother was the first to greet them. "Hello, Serena!" she said. "And Darien! How wonderful to see you back in Japan!" She extended her hand in friendship.

Darien gladly shook her hand. "It's great to be back. Nice to see you too, Mrs. Tsukino. Hey, Sammy; how're you doing.?"

"Fine, I guess," answered the younger brother.

Darien finally turned to Serena's father, Mr. Tsukino. "Hello, Mr. Tsukino," he said nervously.

To both Serena and Darien's surprise, Mr. Tsukino's reply started with a semi-friendly smile on his face. "Hello, Darien. Or should I say, Dr. Shields? Serena's told you became a physician."

"I'm… uh… just fine… thanks," Darien said, taken aback by his friendly treatment towards him. Normally, Serena's father would be fuming mad at even the sight of Darien Shields, and each time he was even near her house, he would be chased by Mr. Tsukino, armed with garden utensils. Mr. Tsukino didn't much like the idea of his daughter dating someone older than she was; in fact, he nearly forbid it from the start. But this was certainly a change.

"Well, in that case… Darien… it's nice to see you back in Tokyo. It's good to know you've got time in your 'busy schedule' to…"

Darien broke in, "There's nothing so important that I can't come here and see your daughter, sir. She means more to me than anything."

"Wonderful!" said he. The smile faded from his face when he saw Darien's expression. "Um… is something wrong?"

Serena and Darien looked at each other, then back at the family. "Well," said Darien, "I must say I'm a little surprised at the way you're treating me. If this was on your front lawn, you'd probably have chased me away by now!"

Mr. Tsukino cleared his throat. "Well," he said, "my wife and I did a little talking about the matter and… um… so what's New York like? I've never been there before!"

Mrs. Tsukino handed him a dirty look, and elbowed him in the ribs. Mr. Tsukino let out an "Oof!", rubbed his stomach, and continued…

"Uh, sorry. My wife and I had a little talk, and I've decided that, while I can't say I completely approve of my 24-year-old daughter dating someone six years her senior, I must say I have to accept the way you two feel about each other, and I respect your relationship. It's obvious you two love each other very much, and I shouldn't get in the way of your future together." He glanced at his wife and softly added, "There, I said it! Are you happy now?"

Mrs. Tsukino shook her head in disgust.

"Well, that's a very mature thing to say, Dad," said Serena.

Darien asked. "So I guess this means you're going to stop chasing off your front lawn with your garden tools?"

"No, I'll still remove you from my property if I see fit!" Mrs. Tsukino gave her husband a dirty look and elbowed him in the ribs. Mr. Tsukino bent over in pain. "Would you please stop doing that?!" he demanded.

Mrs. Tsukino turned to Darien and said, "You'll have to forgive my husband, Darien. He still has some… harsh feelings."

"It's all right, ma'am," Darien politely replied.

"Seriously, Darien," Mr. Tsukino said, "You're welcome at our house anytime you're in Tokyo."

"Well, expect to see him a lot, Dad," said Serena.

"Uh… what do you mean?"

Serena put her arms around Darien and leaned up against him affectionately. "Darien's moving back to Tokyo in two months!"

Sammy exclaimed, "Cool!"

"Uh…" said Mr. Tsukino, "That's… that's…"

"Oh, that's wonderful!" said Mrs. Tsukino. "It'll be great to have you back!"

"It'll be even better to know I can spend time with Serena whenever I want," said Darien. "And I'm going to need her a lot! I haven't seen her in six months, and I miss being with her. It's one of the things I enjoy most."

Serena sighed and rest her head against him, smiling.

"Well," said Mr. Tsukino, a smile crossing his face, "it's good to know you have such a commitment to my daughter. I don't see why I should ever have had any objection to your relationship!"

Mrs. Tsukino suddenly jumped in, "And just for the record… I didn't tell him to say that."

Mr. Tsukino dryly added, "Oh, sure, give me a guilt trip, why don't you?"

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~**

Darien and Serena continued their walk through the park, and made their way into another garden, that was devoid of people, minus the two of them. It was a garden where they shared precious moments together before; where Darien would say things to Serena he wouldn't normally say in the presence of others; intimate things that they shared. There was no doubt in either of their minds, that this was their private spot.

The couple sat down on a bench in the middle of the garden. Darien had his arm around Serena, while she leaned her head against his shoulder.

"I'm sorry about that scene with my dad," said Serena, feeling very embarrassed.

"Don't worry about it," replied Darien. "It couldn't have been any worse than when I first met the guy. When Sammy first suggested that you and I were dating… well… you saw the look on his face, didn't you?"

Serena giggled and said, "Who could have missed it?"

"I seriously think he's finally accepted me, though," he said.

"Me too," Serena replied. "It's not a usual thing when he says things like that. But I don't think that after today, he'll admit to saying any of it of his own free will!"

"That, I'll have to agree with." Darien smiled. He always enjoyed Serena's very own patented sense of humor. It was just one of the many things he loved about her, but he wasn't about to tell her that.

Serena glanced at her watch. It was 2:26 in the afternoon. She looked up at Darien.

"Wanna get some lunch?" she asked.

Darien glanced down at his watch. "I don't see why not," was his reply. "I'm hungry enough. How about you?"

Serena raised one eyebrow and looked curiously at him. Darien smiled again.

"Never mind," he said. "I should know better than that."

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~**

Now, we change the setting.

Imagine a dark, dark, dark place. No ground is visible anywhere, no people are to be seen. The only thing that can be seen from any one spot are fields of gray mist, and ominous-looking pieces of rock debris. It is a dismal place, indeed. Completely devoid of life whatsoever. So dark, it's almost dead.

This is the ruins of the NegaVerse.

Yes, you heard me right. The NegaRuins, as one might call it, from its destroyed look. Nothing anywhere except pieces of debris, mist, and various large patches of leftover energy, from various sources, left from various villians. This was Queen Beryl's domain, as well as the domain for other evils in the universe.

But now it was nothing more than a wasteland.

And yet, if you could see this entire wasteland in one outstretched view, you would see something that didn't look like it belonged there. Something that you normally wouldn't find in a wasteland the likes of the NegaRuins.

Something intact.

Even more… something living.

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~**

Serena came home from work the next day, and did what she always did when that happened; slump down into the leather recliner in her living room. The day had been just like the day when Darien visited her, so she was glad to be home.

As she sat in the chair, Amy walked in from the extra bedroom, while Luna, who was sitting on the floor, looked up at her.

"You're home early," said Amy. "You usually get home by 5:30; it's only 4:30 now."

Serena sighed, and tilted her head upwards, so that she looking at Amy upside-down. She said, "You ever have one of those days when you don't have enough people working, and the number of costumers at once is just plain ridiculous?"

"Sometimes, yes. Why?"

"My day was worse. So I decided to come home early."

Luna looked astonished at her friend. "But shouldn't there be someone else working one of the checkout points?"

"Three guys who work for me came in right around noon, so that calmed things down a little. So they've got two extra people, plus one to fill in for me. Besides, I have some overdue vacation time coming to me."

"Did you clear that with your supervisors?" Amy asked insistently.

"Yes. They said I could take off for a few days." replied Serena. She rolled her body around, so that she looked at Amy right side up, with her arms folded on the back of the chair. She smiled. "And all for the better, too," she said, "because now that gives me more of an opportunity to spend time with Darien!"

"I'm sure," said Amy, with a smile. "Oh, that reminds me. He called for you."

Serena stopped smiling. "Why didn't you tell him to call me at work?"

"Because I don't know your phone number there." was her answer. "I would have given it to him if I'd known it, except you never gave it to me."

"Well," Serena said, "I suppose that would have been a good thing to do. What did he need?"

"Well for starters, he just wanted to give a friendly hello to me and an extra-friendly one to you," she said, with a wink. "And, he'd like you to come over to his apartment sometime tonight."

"Call him back," replied Serena, "and tell him I'll be there in a few hours. Right now, I just need to rest."

Serena got up and walked into her bedroom, shutting the door behind her. Luna looked over at Amy, who had a surprised look on her face.

"I would call him back," said Amy, "except I don't know his phone number either!"

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~**

Several hours later, Serena drove over to Darien's apartment building. She got out of the car, and stared up at the tall building. She smiled, for this building brought back a lot of memories, both good and bad.

It was here that Darien babysat for little Jordan, whose mother had been attacked by one of Alan and Ann's Cardian monsters. Serena and Darien both cared for the child together. She hoped that it would rekindle their romance, and it indeed brought them a little closer together, before Darien fully recovered his memories of the Moon Kingdom, the Moon Princess, the NegaVerse, etc.

However, it was also the place where Serena tried to talk to Darien shortly after Rini first came to Tokyo, when he suddenly broke up with her. She tried to ask him why he had done so, but he just wouldn't give an honest explanation. Serena left in tears leaving Darien behind with his guilty conscience.

On the upside though, it was also the place where Serena and Darien shared countless romantic evenings after they'd gotten back together. Serena put the bad memories behind, and remembered all the times Darien had called her here to spend an evening with her company. She loved those memories, and had a feeling tonight would add to the list.

She changed clothes before she left her apartment. She now wore a light blue T-shirt, a skirt with a darker shade of blue, and white shoes. Around her neck, she wore her most precious possession she knew she had.

The star locket that Tuxedo Mask had given Sailor Moon. Serena took it, opened it, and listened to it play its music. She loved the sound of it, for it reminded her of all the times Darien had held her, kissed her, or just made her feel special in any way.

"I love you, Darien," she thought to herself, as she put away the locket, and walked in the front entrance.

She walked up the many flights of stairs, until she finally made it to Darien's floor. She walked through the hallway, meanwhile admiring the Tokyo skyline from the large window lining the hall. Serena stopped for a moment to look up at the moon.

A crescent. Her favorite.

Serena finally made it to Darien's door, and was about to knock, when she saw the brass plate nailed to the door. It read, "MR. DARIEN SHIELDS." She smiled at this. For a moment, she envisioned the words, "MR. & MRS." before his name, then shook her head.

"I've been working way too hard," she thought.

Finally, she lifted her hand to the door and knocked three times. After several seconds, the door slowly opened itself. Serena cautiously walked in the door, and surveyed the area. It was mostly empty, except for a table in the middle of the living room, which was fully set for two people, complete with wine glasses. Two candles were sitting on the table, but were not lit, neither were they even needed. The light from the Tokyo skyline illuminated the entire room with a pale blue light.

Serena continued to cautiously walk in, even though she couldn't figure out why. This was a place where she knew she could feel safe. She didn't know why she was watching her step so much.

She broke the silence of the room. "Darien?" she called. No answer.

"Darien?" she called again. This time, the only response was a cool breeze rushing past her. She whirled around, but saw nothing. She looked at the door, which was now blown shut by the sudden breeze.

"Okay…" said Serena to no one in particular, "that was interesting."

Suddenly, another cold breeze rushed past her. Serena whirled around again, and this time, the two candles on the table were lit, and the two glasses were now filled with a red wine.

Serena stared in awe. She could tell this was Darien's handiwork, but she wasn't used to this kind of… preparation technique, as one might put it.

Serena kept walking further into the room, and admired the set table. She looked out the window, and admired the distant skyscrapers. She looked around the near-empty room, wondering where Darien was.

Suddenly, a black shape rushed past her, and this time, something red zoomed through the air, and hit the surface edge of the table, and got stuck there. Serena turned back to the table, and saw what it was. It was one red rose. One final breeze swept by Serena and she suddenly felt herself get swept off her feet by someone or something, and she was swung around, tilted backwards, and kissed passionately on the lips.

It was only until several seconds after the kiss had begun that Serena realized it was Darien. At first she tried to pull away, but after she realized who was kissing her, she simply closed her eyes, and enjoyed Darien's romantic, if not utterly surprising entrance.

Finally, Darien pulled away from her lips, and examined her face. Her eyes were still closed, and she was slightly smiling. It was as if she was in a trance. She then opened her eyes a little, and stared upwards at Darien.

"That was certainly interesting," she said.

"I wanted to try something new," Darien replied.

"And I loved it!"

"I knew you would." he said. He held her by her hands, and led her over to the table. He pointed to the seat facing the window. "Care to take a seat?"

Serena smiled and sat down, with Darien still holding her hand. She looked up at him, and clearly saw what he was wearing. He was fully dressed in his black tuxedo, including the white bow tie. Behind, his black cape flapped in the breeze flowing through the room. Darien stared down at her into her blue eyes, smiling.

"You look beautiful tonight," he said.

Serena blushed and looked downward a little, then back up at Darien. She replied, "You don't look so bad yourself."

He smiled even more, then sat down in the seat opposite Serena's. He held her hand, and continued looking in her eyes. He let go of her hand, then picked up his wineglass. Serena picked up hers, and they clinked them together.

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~**

Darien and Serena never actually made it to dinner. They stayed at the table talking about old times, and what was to come in the future.

They now sat in a corner of the room, next to the window. Serena sat with her back facing the view of the skyline, while Darien faced her with his back to the wall. He'd removed his black jacket and tie, and now wore the white dress shirt and black pants.

"And then," said Serena, chuckling, "she said, 'Now that I think about it, I left my luggage at the airport!'"

Darien laughed. "Well, she was probably so excited about seeing you again that she wasn't thinking about her carry-ons," he said. "And believe me, I know what it's like to look forward to seeing someone you care about."

Serena blushed, touched by his words. "You know," she said, "it's hard to believe our relationship had been going this long. It was 10 years ago when we first fell in love. And after all we've been through, we still have the same feelings for one another."

Darien smiled a little, then looked to the floor, a solemn expression on his face.

Serena stopped smiling, and looked worried at him. "Darien?" she asked. "Is… is something wrong?"

Darien looked at her again, the same look on his face. "A lot has happened in the last ten years," he said. "And… and…"

"And what?"

"And…" he continued, "some of it was my fault."

"What are you talking about?"

"I've done a lot to hurt you, Serena. Some of which I can never forgive myself for…"

"I still don't know what you're talking about, Darien."

"I've done plenty to hurt your feelings, Serena, even before we fell in love. Like, during the last days of the Moon Kingdom. I left you behind just so I could fight Queen Beryl's army. Or when I was brainwashed by her, and forced to become one of her slaves… I can't even imagine how you felt when I knocked the Crescent Wand out of your hands with a black rose that I threw."

"Darien…" Serena began.

He put his finger to her lips, silencing her. "I'm not done yet," he said. "And then there's the worst of all. Right after Rini first came from the future. When… when I broke up with you…"

"Darien…"

He silenced her again. "Let me finish," he said. "I… left you devastated… heartbroken… and I acted as though… I didn't even care. I can't even begin to believe I could let myself act so stupid. And I didn't even regard your feelings at all. I'm surprised you even took me back after I came to my senses…"

"Darien, what are you trying to say?"

"I'm saying… the reason I asked you to come here tonight was a good one… but the wrong one…"

"Darien, you're not making any sense. You've got no reason to…"

Darien silenced her again. "Stop interrupting me," he said. "Serena… I just want to say… that… I'm sorry… for anything that I've ever done to you… to hurt you in any way… and…"

Serena began to speak again, but Darien put his entire hand over her mouth. "I'm not going to tell you again to stop doing that," he said.

She pushed his hand off her mouth. "Go ahead and finish," she said.

"Thank you," he replied. He looked the other way, and stared at the floor, then continued, "and for what I've done… I don't even deserve your company at all… I can only hope… that you can forgive me… for anything that I have done to hurt you…"

He was finished. He kept looking down at the floor. Serena's looked very worried at Darien, her sad eyes shining in the light of the room. She moved over to Darien, and put her hand on his cheek. He looked over at her.

"Darien," she said, reassuringly, "Queen Serenity asked you to fight Beryl's onslaught, and it was your duty to oblige. And the brainwashing? Nothing you did then was of your own free will. Beryl was pulling your strings. And the breakup? Darien, your mind was being manipulated by that weird dream you kept having. It lied and said it'd hurt me if you got close. But what does it matter, we got back together, didn't we? What's in the past? That's where it belongs. Forgive you, Darien?"

She looked lovingly into Darien's dark blue eyes.

"You don't even need to ask."

With that, Serena reached over and kissed Darien on the lips. After several seconds, she pulled away, and Darien looked at her, a reassured look on his face.

"Just tell me one thing, Meatball Head…" he said.

"Anything," said Serena.

"What did I ever do to make you fall in love with someone like me… who is so in love with you?"

Serena giggled. "You were yourself," she answered. "That's what you've always been, and it's all you need to be."

They reached for each other again, and kissed.

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~**

Now, we change the scene again. Not to the other four Sailor Scouts, but to a dark place. One you've seen before, but know nothing of.

The NegaRuins.

Why do we come back to this dismal, lifeless place? Because it's not as lifeless as it seems. For among the excess energy, the fields of mist, and the countless pieces of rock debris, there remains one thing that doesn't look like it belongs.

Something intact. Even more… something living.

What exactly does that mean? Well let's see for ourselves, now shall we?

Imagine all the rock debris, leftover energy and fields of mist, simply floating around, but focus in on one single object. Miniscule in size compared to the rest of what's here, but still an important part of our story.

Imagine the shape of the object. It's a crystal-like shape, approximately eight feet in height. The object is not completely transparent, but the contents can still be seen. Inside, something is held, kept from getting out. The crystal is almost… like an eternal prison of some sort. And the captive in forever tortured by the eternal sleep he rests in…

But is it so eternal?

Let us zoom in on the contents of the crystal prison. Let us examine his features. The expression on his face is that of terror. The last thing he must remember is the day he was trapped in this eternal prison. Aside from that, imagine a head of blonde hair. Imagine a 6 1/2 tall body. Imagine his attire. A purple uniform, complemented with brown leather boots. Zoom in on the face once more. The captive is in an eternal sleep, so the eyes are closed. But look at the eyes, and you will see something disturbing.

The eyes suddenly open. Yes, you heard me right. They have opened, and see the surroundings beyond the crystal prison. But he's not interested in that. Right now, he has one thing on his mind. He has a chance to be free, and get his revenge against those who imprisoned him.

Jedite was alive…

… And awake.

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~**

Serena was curled up next to Darien. They were both asleep in her apartment, lying on her leather recliner. They both were very comfortable, both in the chair, and in each other's arms.

They had finished their romantic evening together, and since Darien had no place to sleep in his still-empty apartment, she invited him to spend the night at her place, where he could sleep on the couch, or on the recliner. What Serena hadn't counted on was her sleeping right next to him. Even so, she was happy right where she was.

And while she slept, she dreamed.

Serena ran down the street, in terror. Amy, Raye, Lita, and Mina were running next to her, escaping the same oncoming doom. As they ran, the city behind them was being completely demolished. Wherever they ran, there was a trail of destruction right behind them.

She looked over her shoulder, at what she was running from. Up in the black sky, there was nothing more than a pair of evil-looking, glowing white eyes, staring down on her with hatred. Serena looked forward and kept running.

She tried turning into Sailor Moon again, to try and stop the menace. But the locket, Crescent Wand, Moon Scepter, and even the Imperium Silver Crystal itself had all been destroyed. There was nothing she could do but keep desperately running for her life.

Suddenly, each other the other Sailors fell off their feet. Serena stopped in her tracks and turned to them. Amy was unconscious, Mina had taken a fatal blow to the spine from a flying piece of debris, Raye was struggling to get up, and Lita had been buried under a pile of rubble.

Serena stared at them and screamed, _"Noooooooo!"_

She ran over to Raye, and tried to help her up. Raye only wearily looked up at her. A trail of blood ran down from the left side of her forehead.

"It… it's too late for me," said Raye. "Go on without me; I'll only slow you down. Save yourself…"

"No, I can't," Serena returned, tears streaming down her face. "I won't leave you behind!"

"You have to…" said Raye. She struggled to say more, but only gave out cries of pain. Then, her body went limp.

Serena stared at Raye's body in disbelief, then threw her head back and screamed, "No! Raye, no!"

Suddenly, a crashing sound filled the air. Serena looked up, and saw streams of fire flying through the air, then come together and form something. When they materialized, Serena saw two gigantic, armored fists. They rose high into the air, then plunged into the ground. A massive shockwave ravaged across the ground. Serena threw up her arms for desperate protection, just as it engulfed her.

Serena awoke, and shot up out of the recliner. She was huffing and puffing, as if she'd just run a few miles. Serena put her hand on her forehead, then examined the sweat that had rubbed off onto her palm. She looked around the room, and realized she was not running for her life, but still in her leather recliner, with Darien sleeping right next to her.

At the sudden movement, Darien was awaken as well, and he sat up and saw Serena. He looked worried at her.

"Serena?" he said. "What's wrong? You look as if you just saw a ghost!"

Serena looked at him, then out through the window. She then buried her face in her hands. "I… just had… the weirdest dream…" she said.

"Well, are you all right?" he asked.

"Yeah," she said, "I'm fine now… thanks."

But the truth of the matter was, she wasn't fine. The vision she just had really disturbed her. She tried to go back to sleep, but she sat awake in the recliner all night long, with Darien asleep next to her.

At about 7:00 a.m., she got up out of the recliner, trying as hard as she could not to disturb her sleeping boyfriend. She headed into the kitchen and made breakfast, meanwhile getting ready for work.

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~**

A few days later, Serena, Raye, and Amy were at the mall, in the food court, getting lunch. Raye ordered a sandwich, Amy got a salad, while Serena got a large slice of pizza from the pizzeria. This came as no surprise to either Amy or Raye. They talked about what they were doing lately, about old times, and about what they might do in the years ahead.

"Greg and I don't really know what we'll do after we get married," said Amy. "We haven't really discussed anything of the kind lately."

"I know the feeling," said Serena. "I always wonder what Darien and I are going to do with our lives."

As they talked, Raye remained silent. She sat looking down at her plate, thinking about something. Serena finally noticed this, and turned to her, concerned.

"Raye? What's wrong? You've been silent all day," she said.

Raye looked up from her plate and looked at her. "Huh?"

"I said, is anything wrong?"

"Oh… uh… nothing, Serena, nothing at all…" she replied.

"Don't give me that, Pyro!" Serena spouted. "I know you better than that! When you're like this, something IS wrong! Now what's bothering you?"

Raye sighed and sank buried her face in her hands. She then looked at her two friends. "I had the scariest dream," she finally said, "and I've been thinking about it ever since. It has to be the weirdest thing I've ever experienced."

"Really?" asked Amy. "Why don't you tell us about it?"

"It might make you feel better about it." Serena added.

"Do I have to?"

"If you tell us, Raye, we may be able to do something about it," Amy said. "Psychological studies have shown that dreams can be a door into the subconscious mind, and show what really on someone's mind. Of, that depends on how much information one has. How much of the dream do you remember?"

"Every second of it," said Raye. "It was one dream I couldn't possibly forget."

"Well," said Serena. "What are you waiting for? Tell us about it!"

Okay, okay. Here goes," she said. She sighed, and buried her face in her hands again. "It all started, with all five of the Inner Sailors were fighting… some thing. We tried everything we could, but nothing worked. All five of were forced to start running for our lives!"

"Whoa," Serena commented. "Weird."

"I'm not done yet," Raye continued. "So there we were, running for our lives, down this street. Right behind us, everything was being… destroyed. I looked behind me, and there were these two evil glowing eyes up in the sky, looking down on us as we ran!"

Serena suddenly stared wide-eyed at her long-time friend. This was starting to sound very familiar.

"And then," Raye said, "All of us except you, Serena, were knocked off our feet. Amy was knocked unconscious, Lita was buried under a pile of rubble, a flying rock hit Mina right in the spine…"

Serena thought to herself, 'And you had a broken leg, and a blow to the head!'

"And I had a broken leg, and a rock hit me in the head. I was trying to get up, when you came over…"

"I tried to help you up," Serena broke in, "but you told me to save myself. I said I wouldn't leave you behind, and then you died!"

Amy and Raye stared wide-eyed at her.

"Then," she continued, "these two giant armored hands smashed into the ground, and this huge shockwave engulfed all of us!"

"That… that's right! How did you know that?"

Serena got out of her chair, put both her palms down on the table, and stared right into Raye's eyes.

"I had the exact same dream three nights ago! After my date with Darien, we slept over at my place. I had that dream that night!"

"Three nights ago?" Raye said, as she shot out of her chair. "Three nights ago was when I had the dream! You couldn't have had it then! In fact, if I had it, you couldn't have had it all!"

"I was about to say the same thing!" Serena returned.

Amy stood up, and got in between the two of them. "This is very strange," she said. "The chances of you having the exact same dream on the exact same night are almost incalculable!"

Amy reached into her pocket, and revealed her Mercury Computer. She typed some buttons on it, and gasped at the findings.

"According to my computer, the chances are so slim, that the number goes past the two millionth digit… Unfortunately, this computer can't go any further!"

Both Raye and Serena stared wide-eyed at the blue-haired girl.

"That's… pretty big…" said Serena.

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~**

"It just doesn't make sense!" said Serena. "Raye and I having the same dream on the same night? It… it's impossible!"

"In this line of work, Serena, you should consider nothing to be impossible," Darien replied. "Sorcerers, future kingdoms, brainwashings, energy-sucking plants… Even Greg had the power to see into the future. You know what I'm talking about."

"Yeah, all too well."

"I just wish you'd told me happened that night, instead of just saying you were fine." Darien continued. "If there's a problem, we should talk to each other. That's the mistake I made when I broke up with you. I thought you were smart enough not to do the same."

Serena raises an eyebrow and gave Darien the look. "Guilt trip me, why don't you? I thought it was just some dumb nightmare. I had them all the time you were kidnapped by Queen Beryl. Ask Luna. I rolled on top of her numerous times! She'd scream about it for days!"

Darien chuckled. He couldn't help but imagine that poor cat getting crushed under Serena's turning body.

"Well, you had THOSE nightmares for a reason. Maybe the one you had the other night was just another dumb nightmare, but it's got to mean something if Raye dreamt the same thing on the same night you did!"

"I suppose you're right," said Serena. "But I don't think I even want to know what it means, should it mean anything!"

Darien grabbed her arm and stopped her. "What do you mean?"

"You heard my description of the dream, and Raye's too!" she answered. "If was bad enough that you even I remember every single detail, and that it was that gruesome… Darien, it scares me to even think about what it means!"

"I might be nothing at all…" he began.

"And what if it isn't?!" Serena broke in, suddenly sounding very serious. "What if something evil comes and destroys us all? What if we're doomed before our future in Crystal Tokyo can even start? What if… what if…"

Serena threw her hands in frustration. She turned her back to Darien. He watched her, worried about her. He could hear Serena start to cry. He was used to hearing her cry, but this wasn't just any of Serena's old crybaby cries. He could just tell, the situation that was starting to form was really scaring her.

Darien walked up to her, and placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Serena," Darien said, trying to sound as comforting as he could, "What could possibly happen now? All the evil we've faced, we've neutralized. Queen Beryl, Alan and Ann, Rubeus… the Four Sisters all turned to the good side; heck, they opened their own cosmetics store right here in Tokyo! And, if something is coming, who cares? We've faced things like this before. And if something is going to happen, you, me, and the other Sailors will face it… together. If something dangerous is coming… I promise… I won't let a thing happen to you."

Serena turned and smiled sweetly at his words. She began to reach up to kiss him, when suddenly, a roll of thunder was heard overheard, as gray storm clouds started forming in the sky above. At the sound of the thunder, Serena let out a short scream, then ran into Darien's arms, and held him tightly. Darien was startled at first, but calmed down and put his arms around her.

"You see?" he said. "No thunderstorm on Earth could keep me from keeping you safe."

Serena looked up at him, then buried her face from the thundering sounds. Darien reached down and kissed her head. Serena looked behind her, up at the sky. "I didn't even notice the sky getting gray," she said.

"Neither did I," replied Darien. "Come on, let's get out of here."

The two of them walked the other way, with Serena holding herself close to her boyfriend, with Darien's arm around her as well.

"I still can't help but think… something's happening… that we don't know about," Serena commented.

"Y'know," replied Darien, "it's weird… but I kind of feel the same way…"

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~**

"Ah… now I remember," thought Jedite. "This is all Sailor Moon's fault…"

He floated through the NegaRuins, locked in a crystal chamber. He could only see so far on either side of his body, since the only parts of his body he could move were his eyes. But he could tell where he was, even though it was not the NegaVerse he'd once known.

"How long has it been?" he thought. "How many long years has it been since Beryl encased me in this prison of Eternal Sleep? It hasn't been that long, has it? This looks nothing like the NegaVerse…"

He continued floating through space, watching the mists, debris, and fields of energy.

"It has to have been a long time," he thought. "Nothing like this can be done so quickly… even the Moon Kingdom took a while to destroy… but even that looks better than this!"

Jedite kept looking around the Ruins.

"But… how can I even be alive… or awake?! The Eternal Sleep must not live up to its name… which not only means that one cannot sleep forever… but one can escape it! Yes! I can get out of this cursed crystal prison!"

He thought of the idea over and over and over in his head.

"But the only problem with that theory is how to escape it. It's not as easy as it sounds. On the contrary, it almost seems impossible!… Ah, but that was my first mistake… I thought it was impossible those damn Sailor Scouts could defeat me… but things were not as they seemed. Well, now… let's just see what I can do here…"

He looked all around, looking for something that he could use.

And he grinned at what he found.

He watched as two gigantic pieces of rock smashed together. The impact sent a large boulder hurtling right in his direction!

"This looks promising…" Jedite thought. "But if I just let it fly, it'll go straight past me! I… have to move… this blasted… crystal prison… arrrrgh!"

Jedite pushed within his cell with all the strength he could produce, and moved the crystal chamber to the right. It wasn't far enough, so he pushed more… and more… and more!

"Yes!" he thought. "I'm doing it! Just… a little… further… aaarrrrgh!"

He pushed just a little further. Now, he was directly in the path of the hurtling boulder! As it flew towards him, Jedite grinned wider and wider. Suddenly, as the boulder was getting even closer, he realized just how large it was, and the smile disappeared from his face.

"Maybe this wasn't such a good idea…"

It hit with powerful force. The crystal chamber was sent flying backwards through space, Jedite screaming. He flew backwards and twirled around, no longer in any control of where he was going, with the giant boulder right behind him.

"Noooooo!" Jedite screamed.

Little did he know, however, that coming up from behind him was another boulder, almost the exact same size as the other one, simply floating in place.

Finally, the three objects collided. Jedite's crystal cell was caught in between the two boulders!

The crystal was smashed to pieces, flying all throughout the surrounding space. But strangely, Jedite was no longer to be seen. The flying boulder had been smashed to pieces, along with the crystal cell, but in the other rock, there was no a large hole… large enough for someone Jedite's size to fit into.

Suddenly, from out of the rock's rear end, something else smashed through. With incredible force, the rock was burst to pieces, and Jedite flew out of it, and flew through the surrounding space like an airplane. He finally landed on a large floating rock, and stood victorious over the NegaRuins.

"Free!" he cried at the top of his lungs. "I'm free! Free at last! No more eternal sleep! I'm free!"

He looked out upon the ruins, and smiled.

"And now that I'm free… I can do what I've been destined to do for all the long years I have slept… get my revenge on the Sailor Scouts… and rule over the realm of Earth for all eternity!"

Jedite began to chuckle, which slowly grew louder… and louder! Soon, he broke out into a long, maniacal laugh, that echoed throughout the entire ruins of the NegaVerse, and could almost be heard all the way from Tokyo…


	4. Chapter 3: Return to Earth Realm

**Chapter 3**

**Return to Earth Realm**

Jedite roamed around his surroundings, looking for anything that could be at all useful to him. But all he founds were large rocks and clouds of mist.

"Much has most certainly happened since I've… been away," he said to himself. "It would seem everything is in ruins here… nothing that I remember must even exists anymore… which means Queen Beryl must be dead… along with Nephlite, Zoycite, and that idiot Malachite!… How convenient for me!"

He continued searching the ruins, but still found nothing but clouds, rocks, and complete darkness.

"Nothing… nothing at all! What can possibly do me any good in this desolate place?!"

Suddenly, his leg brushed up against something that sizzled with gray electricity. Jedite looked down at it in surprise.

"What the-?"

He knelt down on the floating rock to get a closer look at it. It looked like only another cloud of mist, but as Jedite ran his hands back and forth through it, more gray electric sparks flowed. He finally realized what it was.

"Hmm… how very interesting…" he thought. "Excess human energy!… Must have been left behind when Beryl was destroyed by Sailor Moon… wait a minute! How did I know that Sailor Moon destroyed Queen Beryl?!"

As he ran his hand through the cloud, an image of Princess Serena battling Queen Beryl ran through his head. Jedite at first couldn't figure out why this happened.

"Very interesting…" he said. "It must be from when Beryl ruled the NegaVerse… and it must contain memories from the past… things I was not around to witness… Which gives me an idea…"

Jedite held his hands within the heart of the energy cloud. His hands glowed white for a moment, and then the energy itself was absorbed into his body. Jedite threw his head back and exhaled deeply, feeling a little stronger from this energy boost.

"Ah… I needed that… now let's see…"

He concentrated as hard as he could. Instantly, various images of his succeeding generals, Nephlite, Zoycite, and Malachite ran through his head, as he learned about their outcomes.

"Intriguing… Nephlite fell in love with a human… Zoycite was killed by Queen Beryl for trying to kill Tuxedo Mask… and Malachite was destroyed by Sailor Moon…" he thought, "I was right… this energy patch contains memories from the time Queen Beryl ruled the NegaVerse! And now that I've absorbed it, I can know everything that happened up until then… and there's more, simply within this one cloud…"

Jedite concentrated harder. Now images of other Sailor Scouts flowed through his mind. Two of whom he already knew; Sailors Mercury and Mars. But there were two others he didn't recognize. But from the information within the energy cloud, he found out who they were.

"So… they found five Sailors…" Jedite thought. "Jupiter and Venus! So… that little teenage pest Sailor V that agve me so much trouble before 'Moon Girl' is a Scout too, eh? This information will come in handy!"

Jedite got up and looked around. He turned his head left and right, and saw something that pleased him very much.

Countless clouds of energy, varying in size, scattered throughout the entire NegaRuins. Some were miniscule, others were gigantic. Either way… Jedite found something very useful.

"I think I've found what I'm looking for…" he thought, as a wide, maniacal grin crossed his face.

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~**

Serena slammed the door behind her as she walked into her apartment. It had been a very long, very hard work day.

As she plumped down to the floor, she huffed and puffed as if she'd just run a marathon. She leaned up against the door and caught her breath. She was so tired that she didn't even notice the tall person standing in her living room, in front of the fake bookcase.

"What's with you, Meatball Head?" he said. "You look like you've just swam the English Channel… twice!"

Serena looked up and saw Darien. She smiled and got up off the floor.

"If you can compare the day I've had to doing that, than I guess you could say I did!" she replied. She walked over to him and they hugged each other. Darien pushed her back a little.

"It couldn't have been that bad, could it?" he asked.

"You had to have been there," she said. "Four of my employees quit for the day right in the middle of a mid-day customer rush! You'd think there was a worldwide food shortage or something! Those guys are lucky I didn't send them flying all the way down to the unemployment office for doing that to me!"

"Well did you?"

"No, I'm just going to chew them out tomorrow!" She giggled.

She looked past him, and saw the hidden glass case, displaying the Transformation Locket, the Crescent Moon Wand, the Moon Scepter, and the Imperium Silver Crystal, open for all to see.

"I see you found my hidden display," she said.

"Actually, on accident," Darien said. "Luna ran under my feet and tripped me. I stumbled into the book case, and the display opened up." He let go of Serena and turned to the display again. "So I've just been looking at these old relics for a while… remembering all we've been through…"

Serena put her arms around him and looked at the display. She sighed deeply.

"Kind of makes you wish for the good old days. when I first became Sailor Moon, doesn't it?" she asked.

"Hmph!" was Darien's reply. "When Jedite kept sending all those monsters to suck humans clean dry of their energy? When you kept getting beaten around by some intergalactic mutant?… When I wasn't in love with you?… I don't think so!"

Serena looked up at him and smiled. She loved it when he talked like this, just to let her know just how much he loved her. She reached up and kissed him lightly on the lips, then they both looked back at th1e display.

"Where's Amy?" Serena asked.

"Out with Lita and Mina," Darien answered. "Raye would be with them, except she and Chad had some things to take care of at the temple."

"Go figure…" said Serena. "What about the cats?"

"Right behind you!" a familiar voice said.

Serena turned her head, and two cats were sitting behind them. One of them, Luna, the other, a white cat with the same crescent moon shape on the forehead.

"Artemis!" Serena cried. Darien turned his head and smiled at the sight of the white cat. Neither he nor Serena had seen him, even after he and Mina got into town.

Serena bent down on the floor, and Artemis ran up and jumped into her arms. Serena hugged him tightly, Artemis purring with satisfaction. He jumped down and stood next to Luna.

"How're you doing, Artie?" asked Darien.

"Pretty well," he replied. "Life is pretty hectic when you live with a star like Mina. You wouldn't believe how much traveling we have to do together. We've probably been all over France several times! Germany too!"

"Still the same old jokester, eh, Artemis?" said Serena with a smile.

"Same as always, just the way he should be," answered Luna, as she rubbed her head affectionately against his white fur. Artemis blushed.

"So I'm dying to know," said Serena, "How did Mina ever find the time to fly over to Tokyo just to visit us?"

Artemis smiled, because he knew what she was getting at. Mina was very busy when she was working, and it was very rare for her to get any free time for 30 seconds, let alone 30 days!

"I asked her the same thing," he finally answered. "All I can say, if something's important to you, then you make the time!"

"Well said," Luna commented.

"And it shouldn't be that surprising either," Artemis continued. "All of the Inner Scouts took time out of their busy schedules to come here, just to see you! Even Darien did what he had to do to get here!"

"Oh come on, Artemis," said Darien. "Even Serena is smart enough to know that!"

Serena suddenly sneered at him. "And what exactly is that supposed to mean?!"

Darien laughed nervously. Artemis simply shook his head in disgust, then turned to the black cat sitting next to him.

"Some things never change…" he said. Luna nodded.

"Anyway…" Luna interrupted, "Artemis and I are about to out for a little stroll. Either of you want to come?"

"I would, Luna," said Serena, getting up from the floor, "but I've had a long day. I just need to lay down in bed for a while, then I need to go grocery shopping. I've been running on empty here since I had the others over for dinner that one night."

"Doesn't the market supply you with what you need?" asked Darien.

"They would," Serena answered, narrowing her eyes angrily at the thought, "except they have this ridiculous policy about not letting employees shop there!"

"Sorry to hear that," said Artemis. "What about you, Darien?"

"I'd like to, I seriously would," he answered, "but some stuff I sent over here from New York is arriving today, and I need to be there to pick it up. So I have to leave soon too."

"Too bad," said Luna. "Well, we're off. See you two love birds later!"

"Takes two to know two!" Serena said with a wink.

The cats groaned and walked out the open door. Darien, meanwhile, wrapped her arms around Serena, who glanced back at him. "I need to get out of here too," he said. He then reached into his jacket, and pulled out a red rose, and held it before Serena. She took it from him, then he continued, "I'll see you later, Meatball Head."

He reached down and kissed her lightly on the lips, then let go of her and walked out the door.

Serena watched as he left. She closed her eyes and inhaled the rose's sweet aroma. She then jumped into the air and squealed with joy.

"Oh, god I love that man!" she cried.

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~**

"Ah… I love this time of year," said Mina.

"You always say that," replied Lita.

"Well, it's true," she continued. "I love summer. I love everything about it. The color of the trees, the people walking about, the golden sun shining down on everything… it's just so great to be a part of!"

"I agree," said Amy. "Summer is the best time of year to be out and about. We all picked the perfect time to come back to Tokyo!"

"I was lucky to be able to come back now," said Mina. "It's hard enough for me to get any time off of work, but I still manage to get around."

"You can say that again," said Lita. "Things can get pretty hectic over at the restaurant. People shouting orders, finding good chefs, getting supplies all the time so I never run out, plus I've got this international proposal thing to deal with. It's a little too much of a rush, even for me."

"Now there's a stretch!" Mina exclaimed.

Lita gave her a look. Amy shook her head in disgust.

"Can you two ever not insult each other?" she asked.

"There was a period of about two years, it was wonderful…" Lita said, "then, unfortunately, we saw each other again!"

"I guess that answers my question," Amy thought to herself. She glanced at her watch. "It's getting late, you guys. We should at least call Serena and tell her where we are."

"No prob," said Mina, as she whipped out a cell phone, and dialed up Serena's number.

Lita and Amy waited for her, while they continued their conversation.

"Of course," Lita continued, "the good thing about it is, if the whole deal pulls through, with restaurants all over the world, I could move back to Tokyo like I've always wanted! I mean, with worldwide locations, they've got to put one here, don't they?"

"I know what you mean," Amy replied. "Sometimes, Greg and I talk about after we're married, we could work up the money to start our own practice here in Tokyo. Of course, number one, we've been engaged for over a year now, and the possibility of our actually tying the knot are slightly dimming, and, number two, it takes a lot more than two doctor's salaries to start your own business; even a small one!"

Lita gave an "Mm-hmm" of approval, having fully known the expenses of running your own business. She WAS, after all, the owner of her own establishment in the middle of New Orleans. They would have gone further with their talking, when suddenly a beeping sound caught their attention.

"I know that sound anywhere!" said Lita. "That's your pocket computer, isn't it?"

Amy reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out a blue rectangular object, her Mercury computer. The beeping got louder, indicating it was the source of the sound.

"It sure is," she said. "It must be picking something up."

"But what?"

Amy opened up the computer and started pressing buttons. What appeared on the screen surprised her. "It's reading some kind of strange energy source, but it can't pinpoint it, let alone say what it is."

Amy closed the computer and put in back in her pocket. "Must have just been a solar flare," she said.

Lita shrugged, knowing nothing of the subject. Meanwhile, Mina got off her phone and turned to her friends.

"I got her answering machine," she said. "She must be out with Darien or something. What's with you guys?"

"Amy's computer picked up something weird," answered Lita.

"It was probably nothing at all," said Amy. "What could it possibly scan NOW that could be of any danger?"

"I guess so," Lita answered. "C'mon, let's just go."

Lita and Mina turned and started walking in the other direction. Amy started to follow them, but she stopped and turned around again. She tapped on the side of her blue earing, and her transparent blue scanning visor covered her eyes.

She scanned all around the area, and finally picked something up that made her stare wide-eyed into space. For a moment… just a moment… she could make out an energy source, six and a half feet tall, in the shape of a man. It quickly dissolved from her vision, but she could barely make out a face before it did. It was an all too familiar face, one she hoped she'd never have to see again.

She then shook her head and regained her senses. She retracted her visor and said to herself, "I've been working way too hard."

She ran and caught up with Mina and Lita.

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~**

"So much energy…" said Jedite, "and so much to do with it!"

He surveyed the area he was in, examining the countless clouds of energy scattered throughout the NegaRuins.

"But what to do with it first…" he said. "None of it can go to waste. I must use all of it!"

His face then lit up, as is just hit by inspiration. "Aha!" he exclaimed. "I've got it!"

Jedite outstretched his body, and his eyes began to glow a strange white color. He strained his body to do something… but anyone who was watching could only guess what.

Suddenly, it was felt all throughout the eerie blackness of the ruins… a soft, low rumbling sound. Jedite kept struggling, as his arms and legs started vibrating violently. Whatever he was trying to do, he was doing it with all his might.

Then it grew louder. The rumbling sound increased, and suddenly, everything in the blackness of the ruins began shaking. As the sound of the rumbling continued growing louder and louder, the shaking of the NegaRuins continued getting more and more violent. Jedite shut his eyes as he struggled more and more to do what he was trying to do.

Then, finally, it happened. All the countless clouds of energy, lost by former rulers of the domain, starting moving inward… toward a definite source in the middle of the ruins. That source was Jedite.

The clouds suddenly starting spinning around and around, swirling in thin, tornado-like streams, flowing closer and closer to Jedite's vibrating body. He yelled out into the blackness as he continued forcing his body to its maximum in this desperate attempt.

Finally, all of the massive energy streams started flowing into Jedite's body! He screamed in pain as his body was being pumped full of the thick clouds that he had drawn to himself like metal to a magnet.

As the energy was absorbed into his body, Jedite glowed like a light bulb. He continued screaming as he was energized.

Finally, after a full five minutes of absorbing the massive clouds of energy that were once scattered throughout the NegaRuins, all of it was now in one man's body, flowing through one man's bloodstream and nervous system.

However, after the absorption, though Jedite had stopped screaming, his body was still vibrating violently, as if something was going on inside.

Suddenly, a sound reminiscent of something ripping filled the air, and Jedite grew… his height increased by a full 12 inches, and his physique was improved. His shoulders and hips grew outward, the muscles in his arms, legs, and torso looked as if they had been given a large dose of steroids. And surprisingly, his uniform, from the purple shirt to the brown boots, all grew to fit his new stature and physical form.

But that wasn't the end of it. The costume itself started changing as well. His belt grew silver plating, complemented by a silver beltbuckle. On his boots, a pair of silver shin guards appeared, completely encasing the front of his lower legs. On his forearms, a pair of silver armored gloves materialized. On his shoulders, two silver shoulder pads appeared as well, and a black cape sprouted out from behind his back.

As the transformation completed. Jedite relaxed his body, and opened his eyes, only to have them suddenly glow brightly, and turn a blank white.

"Wow," he said, in a slightly deeper voice. "What a rush…"

He opened his hands, and stared at them. They now glowed with a strange, white electrical charge.

"I feel…" he said, "I feel… Oh, words just don't describe it! I feel… like a god!"

He then looked at the strange new armor on his hands, then stared down at the rest of his new costume. He grabbed the side of the cape and whirled around, and continued admiring himself.

"What… what's happened to me?" he asked himself. "I don't remember my shoes being this far from my eyesight… have I grown? And what's all this new armor? I need to see myself in full…"

He turned his head, to a six-foot-tall boulder, floating in space. Jedite raised his glowing right hand in its direction, and shot a white beam of energy from his fingertips. The beam made contact with the boulder, and after a gigantic burst of light, the boulder was no longer a boulder; Jedite had magically turned it into a long, mirrored glass.

Jedite flew in front of the mirror, and examined himself and his new attire closely.

"This is certainly a change," he said. "I look better than ever!"

He whirled around and saw his backside, then whirled around again to see his front.

"Something has definitely affected my body structure from absorbing all that energy," he said. "I've not only grown a full foot, and gained some interesting additions to my uniform… but I feel stronger and more powerful than ever!"

A grin crossed his evil face. He pointed his hand at the mirror again, and shot another white beam of energy. The mirror flashed, and in the place of Jedite's reflection, there now was a life-size picture of Sailor Moon, moon tiara discus in hand. Jedite floated to a distance of six inches from the picture, and curled back his fist, as if ready to strike.

"Get ready, Moon girl," he said menacingly, "It's gonna be a hot time in the old town tonight!"

With that, the new, more powerful Jedite threw his armored fist forward, and smashing the face of the picture of Sailor Moon to pieces. He then turned and started floating away. He waved his hand through the air in front of him, and instantly, a bright white light flashed, illuminatin the entire area. The light quickly dimmed, but as it did, what looked like a swirling, gray portal opened wide.

Jedite began walking in through it, but stopped halfway and hesitated. He whirled around, threw his hand forward, and blasted a beam of white light at the Sailor Moon picture, smashing the rest of it to smithereens.

Another grin crossed Jedite's face, as he turned and walked through the portal to Earth…

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~**

Serena looked out upon the lake, thinking back upon the many times she and Darien had sailed alone together on those waters; all the romantic moments they had; all the times they'd been together at all.

She loved looking back on these things, and she knew Darien did too, even though he wouldn't admit that.

As she looked at the setting sun over the lake, she didn't notice the man walking up behind her. The man raised his hand, revealing something red in his fingertips. He then threw it forward, over Serena's head, sticking it in the ground in front of her.

Serena, casually looked down, and saw a rose in front of her. She then looked behind her, at the tall, black-haired man with the dark blue eyes standing behind her.

"You always like making that entrance, don't you?" she asked him.

"Of course," said Darien. "It was how we met, isn't it?"

"Actually," he corrected, "we first met when I hit you in the head with a failed test paper that I threw out."

"True, true," he said. He then stuck out his hand to help her up. Serena took it and got to her feet, then reached up and kissed Darien lightly on the lips. He put her arms around her, and she did the same.

"I love being here," she said. "It brings back so many happy memories."

"I'll admit, it feels good to remember all the times we've been here as a couple."

Serena turned her head and looked at the lake again, and saw a couple in boat, rowing their way across it. She then turned back to her boyfriend and put her head on his chest.

"It's almost 7:30," said Darien. "Wanna get some dinner? I heard a new restaurant just opened across town."

"As long as it's with you." she answered.

"How sweet," he said. "Come on. My motorcycle's over this way."

"Your motorcycle?" Serena asked, looking up at his face. "Your Harley Davidson? The one you bought when you visited Milwaukee? How'd you bring it here?"

"It was one of the things I had shipped over here the other day." he said. "Y'know, the day we saw Artemis?"

"Oh, yeah," she said. "But I didn't know the Harley was one of them."

Darien smiled and returned, "Like I'd go anywhere without it."

"Well, I'd love to see it," she commented. "I've only heard about through your letters and phone calls."

"Well, come this way, my dear," he said, "and see it for yourself."

They walked together, hand in hand, across the street to where Darien's motorcycle was. Serena saw it for the first time, and gasped with delight at the sight of it.

The side plates and wheel covers where painted with a blue color, with stars and a crescent moon painted under the seat. Right next to that, in silver-plated letters, was the motorcycle's given name: MOON PRINCESS.

"Oh, Darien, it's beautiful!" she exclaimed.

"I named it after you," he said. "If I couldn't have you personally by my side, I at least wanted a Moon Princess of some sort. And while it's nowhere near as wonderful as being with you, it tides me over until I actually do visit Tokyo. You like?"

"Oh, I like, I like!"

"Glad you approve," he said, and he walked behind her and suddenly flashed something in front of her. She saw what he was holding and gasped again.

It was a bike helmet, in her size, painted like a fading twilight sky, with a crescent moon painted on each side. On the lower half of the left side, there were silver letters spelling out "SERENA".

"For you," he said. "It's the law to wear one of these, y'know."

"Wow!" she said. "This is… this is just too cool!"

"It was hard to find your size, with your not being there when I had it customized, but I think I got it just right."

Serena put the helmet over her blonde-haired head, and fastened it tightly. She then took it off and stared at Darien with a smile on her face.

"A perfect fit," she said. She then put her arms around him and kissed him lovingly on the lips. Darien put his arms around her, then swung her around and swung her backwards, returning the kiss. He then swung her back onto her feet, and they pulled away from each other.

"I take it you like it?" he asked.

"Oh, I like, I like!"

The two of them then headed for the motorcycle. Serena hopped on behind her boyfriend, and put on her new helmet. Darien then reached behind his seat, and pulled out his helmet; painted black, with a red rose painted on either side.

Darien started the motorcycle, and they zoomed down the street, towards the opposite side of town, Serena screaming with delight and arms tightly wrapped around him.

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~**

The portal opened in the middle of an empty construction site.

From its wide, black center, out Jedite stepped, fully dressed in his new, "updated" uniform, from his black cape to the silver shin guards on his brown leather boots. He stared out at his surroundings with his hollow white eyes. This construction site was a place he'd been before, that he knew, but to him, there was something different about everything else.

"Things have certainly changed," Jedite thought, eyeing several distant skyscrapers that he knew weren't there before. "I've only been on Earth for several seconds, and that's obvious…"

With a wave of his armored hand, Jedite magically closed the portal behind him. He then floated upwards into the sky, and towards the distant skyline. He made his way between the buildings like the Dark Angel of Death itself, ready to strike on any innocent victim it so chose. But that wasn't Jedite's plan, at least not for now. For now, he simply floated high above the streets of Tokyo, eyeing the tall buildings he was between, and the ant-like pedestrians miles below his feet.

Finally, he flew upwards even more, before he finally landed on the very, very top of the Tower of Tokyo. There, he "perched" like an evil bird of prey, looking down and around on the rest of the city miles below.

"Things have changed…" Jedite said. "I remember this tower being tall, but it has to have been built more since I saw it last."

He continued looking downward, noticing buildings, billboards, radio towers, even an entire airport that he knew he'd never seen before.

"It has to have been at least ten years since my imprisonment," he said. "So many new sights… which must mean more people…" He grinned mischievously. "which means more life energy for me to drain from them!"

He looked to the east of the massive tower, and he saw a lighted billboard that said, "Coming in 2013" and then, went on to describe a new restaurant. Jedite's eyes widened as he made the calculation in his head of what year it was now.

"It has been ten years!" he thought. "That would explain the changes I've seen here…"

He stood up straight on the top of the tower, then acrobatically leaped off it, in spread-eagle position. He plummeted to the ground below, and flipped through the air, the cold night air zooming past him.

Finally, he landed noiselessly on his feet in a dark alley, where no one was to be seen. No one would be able to see him in the darkness. He walked out of the alley, but anyone who saw him then would think he was just a normal man walking around at night.

He was no longer in his uniform; he magically changed his clothes while in the alley. He now wore a brown business suit, black dress shirt, and black sunglasses to hide his hollow eyes. He slightly removed them, and his eyes glowed white.

"Sailor Moon is still here," he thought, smiling. "I can feel it in my blood. The energies I've absorbed are telling me so…"

He walked out onto the sidewalk, and down the street.

"I'll search for her now," he thought. "I know I will find her… it's only a matter of time until I do."

He made his way through the people walking past and beside him, wondering in his head if he even knew who he was looking for.

"I'm not sure I know what I'm doing," he finally admitted to himself. "It's been so long, and my memories have a few holes in them. I'm not sure I remember what Sailor Moon looks like behind her tiara. This is will not be easy…" he grinned, "but it will most definitely be worth it!"

He made several shortcuts through the city, using interspace portals he would open and close in empty alleyways. He would then emerge in another part of the city, and continue his search.

"This is getting tiresome," Jedite though impatiently. "I've been searching for over an hour, and found nothing."

Just then, he stopped in his tracks, as something inside him told him to do so. His eyes glowed as well, brightly enough that it could be seen even through the black sunglasses he wore.

'She's close…' he thought, 'very close…'

As he thought this, he whirled around at the sound of voices behind him. Two of them, one male, the other female. But he could swear they both sounded very familiar.

Jedite didn't want to take the chance to be seen. He looked to his left, and saw a conveniently placed dark alley. He jumped into it and concealed himself, just as two people turned the corner. From the darkness, Jedite watched closely with his hollow, glowing eyes.

Two people then walked by the opening to the alley. One, a male, about a foot shorter than Jedite was, with dark black hair, and wearing a green jacket and black shirt. The other, a female, a foot shorter than he was, with bright yellow blonde hair, styled in the most interesting of fashions: two "spheres" of hair, one on either side of her head, with a long yellow ponytail coming down from each one. She was holding the man's arm, and he had her arm around him. They were obviously a couple, but that wasn't what Jedite was concerned with.

"They both look familiar…" thought Jedite. "But the girl… I know I've seen her before…"

As the couple walked by the alley, Jedite imagined the girl in different attire; a shrunken school girl uniform, white gloves, red boots, a short blue skirt, and a golden tiara on her forehead, with a pink jewel in the center. Jedite grinned.

"Oh, it's her all right!" he thought, eyes glowing even brighter.

Jedite walked out of the alley, now dressed in his purple uniform, and watched as the girl and her boyfriend walked down the street, not even noticing him behind them. Jedite then jumped into the air, and disappeared among the darkness of the night sky above.

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~**

After dinner, Serena and Darien decided to walk around before heading back to the lot where they had parked the motorcycle.

"It feels good to walk down this street again," said Darien. "It's been so long since I left Tokyo last, I hardly remember how to make my way through it."

"I've walked down this street a zillion times before," said Serena. "I can't say it feels good, but it doesn't feel bad. Right now, it feels good only because you're here with me…"

She held him tighter. Darien smiled, and put his arm around her.

"Likewise," said he, "it just isn't as much fun without you."

He reached down and kissed her on the forehead. Serena blushed and giggled.

"Do you have to be so public about it?" she asked.

"What's so public about this?" Darien replied. "There's no one around. And even if there were, I still would be as public about it as I always have. I'm not scared to show that I'm in love with you."

Serena blushed again. She never knew Darien to be like this, but she liked it.

They turned a corner, and walked down another section of the street, past a dark alley, and further along the block. About a minute after they passed the alley, Serena suddenly looked up, a surprised look on her face. She turned her head backwards, in the direction of the entrance to the alley.

Strangely, there was nothing there at all.

Darien turned to Serena. "Something wrong?" he asked.

"I…" she said, "y'know, I'm not really sure. For a second, I could have sworn… we were being watched."

"Watched?" Darien asked.

He looked to the left, to the right, to the front and back, even above and below them. "There's no one around as far as I can see," he said. "I don't think there's anyone watching us."

"Never mind," she said. "Just my imagination, I guess."

They both smiled at each other, and continued their walk.

As they passed another dark alley along the sidewalk, they were suddenly knocked off their feet as something emerged from the alley and rammed right into them, sending them both crashing to the floor. They landed on each other, and looked up at the back of the man who's bumped into them.

"Hey!" Darien cried. "Watch it, buddy!"

"Yeah!" Serena added. "Why don't you watch where you're going?!"

It was then that they realized the man was wearing a long, black cape, on top of a purple uniform. From the side of the man's body, hidden by the cape, a purple-clothed arm came out, the hand of which, covered in a metal armored glove, balled into a fist.

Serena gasped as she saw the armored fist, because it was exactly like the one she'd seen before!

"Oh, I'm so very sorry…" the man said sarcastically, in a sinisterly familiar voice.

The man then slowly turned around, revealing the side of his blonde-haired face. The face turned around completely, and looked directly at Serena. She gasped again when she saw the man's face, from the blonde hair, to the blank eyes, to the wide, maniacal smile on his lips.

"Sailor Moon!" the man finished, as he started laughing evilly.

Serena's eyes and mouth opened even wider, as did Darien's, for he knew who this man was too.

The man's laughter grew louder and more maniacal, as he turned and walked away from the terrified couple. As he walked away his body suddenly started glowing white, then disappeared in a burst of flame.

Serena and Darien were left behind, only to wonder what they had just seen.

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~**

"I'm telling you, Raye, it was him!"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes!"

"Are you positive?"

"Yes!"

"Are you…"

"Oh, for the last time, Raye, yes!" Serena shouted.

"Serena," the raven-haired woman said, "it's… it's just impossible! He's gone, dead, defeated, for the last ten years!"

"We may have defeated him, Raye, but that doesn't mean he died!" Serena replied. "And I know he didn't because I saw him! Both me and Darien saw him!"

"Serena, if you're kidding me here…" Raye began.

"Oh, please, Raye!" Serena snapped. "In all the ten years we've been friends, have you ever once known me to so much as joke about something like this?! Now I am serious here! It was him!"

"Serena…"

"And that's not the worst of it!"

"What do you mean?" Raye asked, casually pouring hot tea into her cup.

"Remember in the dream we both had?" Serena asked. "At the end of it, after you died, when those two giant armored gloves made that shockwave?"

Raye frowned. "How could I forget?"

"He was wearing them, Raye! Jedite was wearing those gloves when we saw him!"

Raye gasped and dropped both the tea kettle and the cup. They hit the ground, sending brown-clear liquid spreading all over the white tile. Raye whirled around and faced her blonde friend.

"Please tell me you're joking!" Raye begged. "Please tell me you're not serious!"

Serena simply looked at her with a straight face, arms crossed. "Do I look like I'm joking?" she asked.

"But…" Raye tried to speak, but couldn't get the words out. Finally, she did manage to get out, "But… why come to me about this?"

"Because we both had the same dream about it, Raye," Serena answered. "About the wave of destruction, about everyone dying except me, and those two giant hands… the same ones I saw Jedite wearing!" She then solemnly looked away from her raven-haired friend. "I don't know exactly how to say this, but…"

"But what?" Raye asked anxiously.

"But…" Serena finally said, "I think this is a vision… of the future."

Raye's eyes widened as Serena spoke these words. She never knew Serena to have premonitions of the future, not like Raye did. And it was rather frightening to hear her start.

"You mean…" Raye started.

"I got a good look at him when he rammed into us today, Raye," Serena said. "He had all this new armor, this long cape around his neck, and I could have sworn he grew another foot or so. It's bad enough he's still alive at all… but from what we both saw in that dream… I'd say that's the least of our problems."

"What are you talking about?"

"When I saw him, Raye, I… I could feel… power. Unimaginable formidability beyond which I know I've ever seen." Serena explained. "He's not only back, but he's powerful… and not just because he's woken up and he's pretty angry! I mean, he's become even more powerful than he was before! If you had been there, Raye, and been able to see into his eyes, you'd feel the exact same thing I did!"

Raye shuddered. She could tell Serena was being serious about the matter, and she was afraid to think about what if she was right. Jedite was always a powerful enemy, as were all of Queen Beryl's general's. But if he was bigger and more powerful than before, she could tell… they were in a lot of trouble.

"I know you probably don't think I'm being serious about this, Raye, but…" Serena started.

Raye grabbed her by the arm, and dragged her out of the room, stopping her in the middle of her sentence.

"On the contrary, old friend," said Raye, pulling Serena down the hall with her. "I don't think you could possibly be more serious about this…"

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~**

Raye dragged Serena into the fire room, where she promptly knelt down in front of the rising flames. While Serena watched, Raye closed her eyes and put her hands in prayer position.

"Great spirits of the burning fire," Raye chanted, "show us… show me… the evil we must face… show us the form of our enemy…"

Serena watched in awe as the flames of the fire looked as if they were getting brighter, then dying back down, as Raye continued chanting.

Suddenly, in a burst of light, the flames spewed out of the fire, right at Raye, who opened her eyes and jumped backwards just in time to avoid the fire shooting at her! She landed on her back several feet from Serena, who gave a short scream and ran to her friend's side.

"I'm okay," Raye said, a little short of breath.

The two then looked at the burning fire, and gasped at what they saw.

From out of the fire, now burning at a height of about ten feet, a tall, black form walked out, laughing a maniacal chuckle. The form's blonde hair and black cape flowed behind him from the force of the flames, unaffected by their scorching. Finally, the form completely revealed himself and he walked out of the fire and faced the twosome. Everything, from his purple uniform, to the silver shoulder pads, to the brown leather boots could clearly be seen. His white, hollow eyes stared down evilly at Raye and Serena.

Raye narrowed her eyes on the evil form, while Serena stared wide-eyed and open-mouthed.

"Jedite…" Raye whispered.

"How wonderful to see you again, Sailor Mars!" Jedite replied. "You're looking rather lovely, even after ten years!"

"What do you want?" Serena demanded.

Jedite replied with another maniacal laugh. "You'll find out soon enough, Sailor Moon!" he said. "Until then, you can tell all your fellow Sailor Scouts that just like the two of you… they are doomed!"

Jedite continued laughing, as he turned and walked back into the burning fire, disappearing completely in its midst.

As he vanished, the flames died down to their normal level, leaving Raye and Serena behind, frightened for their lives.

"What do we do now?" Serena asked.

"Only thing we can do at this point…" Raye replied.


	5. Chapter 4: Bittersweet Dreams

**Chapter 4**

**Bittersweet Dreams**

After Jedite's frightening visit to the temple, Serena and Raye did what they thought was the only thing they could do at that point… call a Scout meeting.

Fortunately for them, the rest of the Scouts not only had their transformation wands, but also their communication watches. All of them were contacted without flaw, and were instructed to come to the temple immediately. Meanwhile, Serena called Darien and asked that he come as well. She knew he was already aware of the situation, but she still thought having him there would benefit.

Several minutes after each former Sailor Scout had been contacted, all of them ended up where they had met countless times before; the porch in front of the temple's main building.

"Everyone's here," Serena said. "Good."

"What's this all about?" asked Mina. "We haven't had to meet here in years; why all of a sudden are we doing it now?"

Raye and Serena looked at each other solemnly, and Serena looked at Darien. Then, the three looked at the rest of the Scouts.

"We're not sure how to tell all of you this," Raye said, "but… there's… a new danger."

Amy, Lita, and Mina all dropped their jaws and replied, "What?!"

"There's a new danger, you guys," Serena said. "Something evil has entered the Earth again, and like all the others, he means business. Darien and I saw him on the street yesterday, and Raye and I saw him today in the fire room."

"What are you talking about?" Lita demanded. "What danger? What's going on this time?"

"You're the only one who won't know who we're talking about, Lita," Darien answered. "You came into the group too late to know."

"What do you mean?"

Raye, Serena, and Darien all looked at each other again, then turned back to their friends. Finally, Serena uttered one word from her lips: "Jedite."

With that, Amy and Mina gasped. They looked at each and at the rest of their friends nervously, trying to get a handle on what they'd just heard come out of Serena's lips.

"Jedite?" Mina asked. "Are you serious?"

"I'm afraid so, Mina," replied Raye.

"That explains the reading I got on my computer!" Amy thought, as her face lit up.

"What a minute!" Lita said. "Who or what is Jedite?"

"That's what I meant," Darien said.

"Jedite was the first of Queen Beryl's four general's, Lita," Serena explained. "He was the first, and I do mean the first challenge that I ever had, and that Raye and Amy had when they joined the team."

"What?!" Lita cried. "No kidding?"

"Nope," said Serena. "Mars, Mercury, and I fought him again and again, until finally, we thought we defeated him. After that, we figured he was dead… but obviously, that's not the case."

Mina's eyes were wide as saucers, and her knees suddenly grew weak. She then turned and began walking aimlessly around the yard.

"I don't believe it," she said, her voice hiding a tint of fear. "After all these years, I thought I was the one who destroyed him! I mean, fighting him off for two years as Sailor V… I can't believe he survived me, let alone you!"

"Well he did," Raye said. "And he relocated his attacks to Tokyo. And after a while, we thought he was gone forever too."

"So…" Amy said under her breath. "I did read something on my visor…"

"Huh?" Serena asked, almost hearing her. "What? What do you mean?"

"I have a little confession to make, guys…" Amy said, an apologetic look on her face. "While we were in the park on our walk, my computer suddenly picked something up. I tried to figure out what it was, but the computer couldn't locate it. When we decided to leave, I stopped and scanned the area with my visor, and for a second… a split-second… I swear I saw his face… plain as day, before whatever it was I saw disappeared."

"What?!" Mina said. "Why didn't you tell us about that?!"

"I shrugged it off," she said, "figured it was just work stress. Greg took psychology, I get a lot of it from him."

"It's okay, Amy," said Serena. "If I were in your position, I'd have done the same thing. There's no way you could have known what it was, if anything."

"So, Jedite's back," said Lita. "He was defeated before, he can be again, right?"

"I'm afraid it won't be that easy," Serena answered.

"Huh?"

"Since we last saw him," Darien said, "he's somehow done something to himself to increase his power. We thought he was bad news before, but when the fireworks start, Tokyo could go to Hell in a hand basket."

"What?!"

"When we saw him 10 years ago, he looked like any other of Beryl's lackeys; six and a half feet tall, purple uniform, and he could shoot energy out his hands and body. Now, he's seven and a half feet, his body is covered in armor, has a black cape, and I don't even want to know what he can do now!"

"He's bigger and badder than ever, people," said Raye. "And he's loose on Earth again."

"This is bad," Mina said. "And that's because he's here at all. Now he's more powerful?"

"Yes," said Serena. "So we have to take every precaution in dealing with the problem. We've all been through this kind of situation before, but that's no excuse not to prepare to face off!"

Everyone suddenly looked curiously at their blonde meatball-headed friend. They never once knew her to be so… militarian. They quickly shook it off.

"Okay," said Lita. "So the first thing we do is search for him, right?"

"Wrong," said Serena. "That's exactly what he wants us to do. He's not just back to take over Earth. He's back for revenge. So he'll take any chance to get rid of all of us."

"But why didn't he destroy you when he saw you on the street?" asked Mina.

"He's screwing around with us for now," Darien answered. "Just trying to scare us. But when the battle begins… the atomic bombs in 1945 put together and multiplied tenfold couldn't match what's in store for us!"

"So, what do we do?"

"We wait," said Raye. "For him to come to us!"

"Raye's right," Serena said. "Searching aimlessly for him won't do us any good. If we do that, he'll see us coming a mile away. We face the same problem if we wait for him, but at least we aren't walking into a trap."

"Guys, I don't know about this," said Lita. "How do we know he's not around right now, listening to what we're saying? He could be getting all our ideas and preparing for them as we speak!"

"Knowing what we're up to doesn't concern him," said Serena. "All he wants right now is us out of the way. And he knows Raye could sense him if he were near, so he knows he can't get here without her knowing."

"You mean Sailor Mars would know…"

"No, I mean Raye," she said. "I should've mentioned this before, but there's even more to the problem. He knows who we are. Each and every one of us."

"What?!"

"He called me by my Sailor name when we saw him on the street, and he called Raye by hers in the fire room."

"That's even worse," said Amy. "Now, he knows where to hit us, and where to hit us hard!"

"I know, and that makes him even more dangerous to us," Serena added.

"So what do we do?" asked Lita.

"Starting tomorrow," Serena answered, "we meet somewhere where Jedite won't know where we are. He already knows that myself, Raye, and Amy met here at the temple before he was defeated, so we have to change our meeting place. Tomorrow, we all meet at my apartment. It's been ten years, so Jedite won't know where it is."

"Sounds like a plan to me," said Mina.

All the other Sailors nodded in agreement.

**~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM~**

"This is already going better than I thought," said Jedite, as he passed through the portal again and entered the NegaRuins. "I've got them scared out of their wits, so picking them off one by one will easier than shooting fish in a barrel."

He hopped from rock to rock throughout the ruins, thinking his maniacal thoughts. He finally stopped on the largest of all the rocks floating through the space, and he looked around his new "domain".

"But how?" he said. "I want this to be the most painful, the most horrifying thing they've ever experienced in their entire lives!"

He waved his hand behind him, and suddenly, after a bright flash of light, a stone throne chair emerged behind him, and he sat down in it, and thought.

"Now let's see…" he thought. "Do I want to hurt them physically, mentally, or emotionally?" He shifted his position several times, until he at last came to his answer, "yes!" He laughed out loud, his cackle echoing throughout the space around him.

Jedite looked up and around as he heard the echo of his laughter all around him, as it faded away little by little, until finally it disappeared altogether.

"Hm…" he said. "It seems I have another problem on my hands entirely."

He floated away from his chair, and flew around his surroundings, grimacing at the sight of the giant boulders, and the clouds of mist.

"Oh, no, no, no!" he said. "This just will not do at all! I have to create for myself a new domain. A new place for ME to rule the earth from. This is not the throne room of a ruler; this is a dump! But I can change it, for the better… the better for me, that is! Ha!"

He continued looking around, thinking to himself.

"But what to do with it all, what to do?" he said.

Slowly but surely, a grin crossed his evil face, and his blank, white eyes narrowed and glowed with evil energy.

Suddenly, just as before, it was heard; the slow rumbling of an earthquake. The rumbling increased, and everything started shaking and quaking. The boulders shook violently, and the mist clouds shivered, while Jedite himself was unaffected by his own handiwork. All he did was laugh as everything around began changing.

Slowly, the boulder broke apart into similarly-sized rocks, and the mist clouds began joining together and moving inward. As the boulders split apart, they too started moving inward.

Suddenly, the rocks swirled around and "swam" into single-file lines, and started flowing under Jedite's feet. As they came together, they bonded again, and formed what anyone could agree was a floor. The floor started and expanded right under the general's feet, and he floated down and landed on it as its formation progressed.

More rocks started flowing in back of him, which broke up into dust particles, and started building upwards from the new floor into what looked like a throne chair. As it finished, Jedite grinned, walked backwards, and sat down in the chair, as the formation of this new domain continued.

More rocks came together to expand the floor, until a twenty-by-twenty square foot area was constructed, and the formation of the floor suddenly went downward, forming a stairway.

Jedite's eyes glowed brightly, and his laugh increased as more of this "shrine" was formed.

Suddenly, a bright flash of light emerged from out of nowhere, and the area had expanded as more was formed. Another flash, and even more had been constructed. Another flash, and again, more was added.

Finally, one last, big, bright flash of white light, and it was completed. As the light dimmed, one could see the full expanse of Jedite's new surroundings.

At the top, Jedite sat in a tall throne, with a large skull shape hanging over his head, and two smaller skulls on the arms of the chair. At each of the four corners of the 20-by-20 foot area, there stood a tall skull-shaped torch, each one burning brightly. In back of the platform, there were constructed a row of sharp stone spikes, in back of which floated clouds of mist. From the front of the square floor, a stairway went downward about ten feet, where it led to another 20-by-20 foot area. From there, a long bridge, each side of which lined with small, stone spike-like structures, stretched out fifty feet. Below the bridge, more of the mist clouds were bundled together in a dense fog, completely covering what lay below, if anything at all.

Beyond the bridge, there connected another 20-by-20 foot platform. Beyond that, there were many more narrow platforms, simply floating in space, forming somewhat of another stairway, but with nothing connecting one another, or keeping them in place. Beyond that, more mist, covering anything that might lie beyond.

And at the top, Jedite grinned, his blank eyes glowing with delight.

"Ahh…" he said. "That's more like it."

He turned his head left and right, enjoying what he saw.

"I did this here in a matter of minutes with a worthless pile of rubble," he said. "Imagine what I can do with the Earth once I am the ruler of it! I can make the ultimate empire this puny universe has ever known. Queen Beryl would have nothing on me! All I need to do is think it… and it's mine!"

He stood up from the chair, and walked off the platform, down the stairs, and across the bridge, and onto the second platform.

"And that gives me an idea…" he continued. "Now… where was it those accursed Sailor Scouts always met to discuss matters?… Ah, yes, the Cherry Hill Temple; I remember it well. If memory serves me correctly, that's where I set up one of my schemes. Unfortunately, that particular scheme failed because of them! I wonder if they're there now…"

With a short wave of his armored hand, Jedite formed a large ball of light in front of him. The energy within swirled around and around as Jedite looked into it. Finally, some of it parted, and an image could easily be seen. There, Jedite saw six people, five female, one a male, all standing on a porch in front of the temple. Two of them blonde, one with brown, one with raven, and one with aqua blue, and the male had dark black hair.

"Ah, there they are now," Jedite said. "Let's hear what they're saying…"

Jedite concentrated harder, and could start to hear what they said.

"Sounds like a plan to me," said one of the blondes.

The others nodded in agreement to whatever they were agreeing to.

"It's settled then," said the other blonde, the one Jedite knew was Sailor Moon. "We all know where to meet, tomorrow, 10:00 sharp."

"Right!" all of them said at once. With that, they all parted and walked away.

Jedite's eyes narrowed, and slashed his fist through the glowing ball, sending it apart in thin clouds of light.

"Dammit!" he said. "I just missed them! A few minutes earlier, and I could have known what they're up to! No matter… no trick they can pull out of their sleeves could even come close to taking me down! All I need be concerned with now how to take them down; one by one, in the most painful manner possible…"

Jedite thought for a moment, then his mouth grew into a smile

"All I need to do is think it…" he said, "and it's mine! It's all in the mind. I think, therefore I am. And I think, therefore they are not!"

Jedite's laughter started again, filling the entire area with its maniacal echo.

**~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM~**

"Ten o'clock tomorrow morning, right?" Amy asked.

"Right," Serena answered. "It won't do us any good to try and plan anything without a good night's sleep. Once we're all rested, it'll make it much easier for us to try and do something about all this."

"Gotcha," Amy replied. "I'll see you tomorrow then."

"See ya tomorrow, Ames," Serena said.

Amy turned and walked into the bedroom, while Serena turned and faced her boyfriend.

"Y'know, even after ten years, your leadership skills haven't failed," Darien said.

"Thanks," she said. "It's good to know someone appreciates my skills. I just wish all the other Scouts would agree with you."

"Actually, you'd be surprised," Darien replied. "They think you're a better leader than they'd let you believe. Even Raye thinks so, despite all her insults, taunts, and whatever else she throws at you."

"Raye? You're kidding!"

"Nope."

Serena blushed. She thought after ten years she and her friends would be a little more open with their feelings towards each other.

"So," Serena said, "do you want the sofa, or the recliner? It's a pretty comfortable way to sleep no matter what you choose."

"The sofa will be fine," he said, with a smile. "I'll see you in the morning, Meatball Head."

He put his hand on her shoulder, then reached down and kissed her on the lips. He then pulled away, and looked lovingly into her blue eyes.

"Serena," he said, "I just want you to know, before I don't have the chance, no matter what you may have done in the past, or what you will do in the future, I want you to know, I'm very proud of you. You're not perfect, but no is, or should be. I love you, and I'm proud of you for who you are… and that's all you ever need be."

Serena smiled, as a small tear of joy rolled down her face. It amazed her how incredibly sweet he could be, even in a situation like this.

"Thank you, Darien," she said, reaching up and kissing him.

She pulled away, and walked into her bedroom, looking back one last time to look at Darien. Then, she turned and closed her bedroom door behind her, leaving Darien to get ready to go to sleep himself.

**~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM~**

Serena yelled at the top of her lungs as Jedite suddenly rushed toward her at full speed. She dodged to the side as he rushed past, and fell to the floor, rolling onto her back.

"That was pathetic!" Jedite yelled, flying into the sky. "What's the matter, Sailor Moon? Losing your touch after all these years?"

He suddenly flew down at her again, his hands jutted forward, glowing with his evil energy. Serena got to her feet, and rolled out of the way, as the general flew past and crashed through a stone wall in back of her.

As the debris from the wall fell to the floor, Serena got up again, and looked around for the only other person she knew was in the area.

"Amy!" she cried. "Amy! Where are you?"

She looked to her right, as she heard a rustling sound. Suddenly, a part of the rubble pile started moving, and a severely battered Amy Mizuno wearily emerged from it.

"I'm over here!" she said.

"Of course you are," Jedite's voice said. "But soon, you'll be here… and there… and there, too!"

Serena and Amy both looked to the wall and saw Jedite floating in front of the hole he made. Suddenly, he flew forward again and landed on the rubble pile, and started walking towards the two of them.

"Let's get out of here!" Serena said.

She ran over to Amy, grabbed her by the hand, helped her to her feet, and they both ran off in the opposite direction, while Jedite floated in place and laughed his head off.

"You can't escape me!" Jedite called. "I am everywhere!"

Serena and Amy paid no attention to his statement, and continued running away.

"Where are we going?" Amy asked.

"Who cares?" Serena replied. "As long as we're getting away from him!"

But she suddenly gasped and stopped, and she saw Jedite magically appeared in front of them. He laughed evilly at them both, as they stopped and looked in horror as he blocked their path.

"This way!" Amy cried, looking to the left.

They turned and headed in that direction, while Jedite held up his armored hands, and began shooting white bolts of energy at them. They dodged in either direction as the bolts flew at them, and continued running.

Suddenly, Jedite appeared in front of them again, blocking their path once more. The two gasped and stopped in their tracks, and slowly backed away as the general started walking towards them.

"You need not fear me now, Sailor Moon," Jedite said. "It's not you I want this time; for now, I'm just going to settle with your aqua-haired friend!"

Amy backed away further and gasped, then turned and ran for her life. Jedite floated forward, pushed past Serena, then chased after Amy.

"Run for it, Amy!" Serena called, as she bent over and picked up a rock. She held it tightly and got up, then took a careful aim, and hurled it through the air, smacking Jedite right in the back of the head!

"Bulls-eye!" Serena called, a smile on her face.

Jedite grunted as the rock hit him, and he whirled around and glared at the blonde woman with angry, glowing eyes. The smile faded from her face as she suddenly feared for her life, and started backing away.

"I'll deal with you later!" Jedite shouted, pointing his finger at her. "Right now, I've got other fish to fry!"

He turned again and zoomed away, headed in Amy's direction, while she kept on running.

Meanwhile, Amy was desperately searching for a place to hide. She looked left and right, and all around her, and finally found several walls that she could suitable hide herself in until Jedite left.

"That looks good," she thought to herself.

"Maybe," Jedite said, "maybe not!"

Amy whirled around and saw Jedite standing right behind her! She didn't even have time to scream, when the general grabbed her by the neck, and lifted her several feet of the ground! Jedite closed his hand around her throat, as she struggled for air.

"I'm going to enjoy this…" Jedite said.

Serena had just entered the scene when she saw Jedite choking her long-time friend. As she struggled to free herself of Jedite's grasp, Amy's body suddenly began glowing from the general's evil energy, and her struggle started getting weaker.

"No!" Serena screamed, as she looked around for something to retaliate with.

On the side, relatively close to where Jedite and Amy were, there was a spiral staircase, the end of which was pointed towards Jedite's backside; the perfect place to launch a surprise attack.

In a hurry to save Amy, Serena ran towards the stairway, and ran up the steps, preparing to launch herself at Jedite if necessary. As she reached the halfway point, she quickly pondered what she could possible do against the powerful general; she wasn't in her Scout uniform, in fact, for some reason she didn't even have her locket or the Silver Crystal with her; likewise, Amy did not have her transformation wand, so that's why neither of them were wearing their Scout uniforms, and therefore not using their powers against him.

Finally, Serena reached the top of the stairs, leapt off the top step, and, using a martial arts maneuver she had learned from Raye, flew straight at Jedite with a powerful jump-kick.

She expected to hit Jedite in the side, and force him to release Amy from his grasp. However, as she flew within five feet of his body, Jedite balled his right hand into a fist, and slashed it around, knocking Serena out of mid-flight, and sending her crashing to the floor!

Serena looked up at Jedite, as he looked down on her, laughing maniacally, as he slowly drained the life out of her friend.

"It's been fun, Ms. Tsukino," he said, "but I'm afraid it's about time you left this bittersweet dream!"

Suddenly, he thrust his free hand outward, and shot a large energy bolt directly at Serena.

A bright flash of light was the last thing she saw…

And then she woke up.

Serena shot up out of bed, huffing and puffing, and sweating like a waterfall. She looked all around her, and realized she wasn't in the ruins of a city where she thought she was. No, instead, she was in her bedroom, in her bed, like she realized she had to be since 9:00 the previous evening. Jedite was nowhere to be seen, and her friend Amy Mizuno was not in his clutches, slowly being choked to death.

She slumped over, and buried her head in her hands, finally realizing things as they were… or as she thought they were.

"Oh god," she said, to no one in particular. "Oh, god, it was only a dream."

A noise caught her attention, and she looked up as her bedroom door opened up. The light poured in, almost blinding her, but she quickly adjusted her vision, and, from the shadow in the doorway, could make out the body of a man.

"Serena?" Darien's voice asked. "Is everything all right? It sounded like a struggle was going on in here."

"I'm fine, Darien," she said. "Just another rotten dream."

Darien walked in the room, and sat down on the bed next to her. He looked worriedly at her.

"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked.

"I'm sure," she said, with a smile. "Thank you."

"Anything about this dream you need to talk about?"

"Oh, man," she said, burying her head in her hands again. "Amy and I were both being chased by that scumbag Jedite. Everywhere we turned, there he was. Finally, he got hold of Amy, and started choking her. I tried to help, but he knocked me to the ground and zapped me. And… that's when I woke up."

Darien moved in closer to her, put his arm around her, and let her rest her head on his chest. He leaned over and kissed her on the forehead.

"It's all right now," he said. "Even if it were real, you know I'd be there for you. And besides, it was just a dream, and dreams can't hurt you, right?"

Suddenly, the conversation was interrupted by the sound of a scream, sounding like someone struggling for air. Both Darien and Serena looked up in surprise, and looked around to figure out what it was.

"What the-" Darien said. "What was that?"

Serena's eyes widened as she recognized that scream.

"Oh my god!" she cried, quickly getting out of the bed. "Amy!"

She raced out the door, with Darien not far behind. They stopped in front of Amy's bedroom door, and opened it, and would have raced in, but stopped and gasped at what they saw.

Next to the bed, floating two feet in the air, was Amy Mizuno, her hands clutching her neck as she struggled for air, and her body glowing, as if someone was draining her body of life. The brightest light came from her neck, as if someone was holding her there, choking her.

Finally, the glow died out, and Amy's body dropped to the floor, and the sound of Jedite's maniacal laughter filled the room as Serena and Darien raced over to help her.

"What's going on?" Serena asked in a frenzy. "What's happened to her?!"

Darien searched frantically for Amy's pulse, and finally found it on her neck. He relaxed a little.

"Her pulse is very faint," he said, "but it's steady. She isn't dying any time soon."

"What do we do?"

"Get her to a hospital," Darien said. "I'll call Andrew; he said he'd be working the night shift tonight. Where's the phone?"

"On the kitchen counter," Serena answered, not taking her eyes off her blue-haired friend. As Darien raced out of the room, Serena held Amy close to her.

"It's all right, Amy," she said. "I won't let him get away with this… never!"

Amy didn't reply; she only rolled her head to the side, breathing very faintly, and letting out of soft groan.

**~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM~**

"It's the strangest thing I've ever seen," Andrew said, checking his clipboard. "She's alive, and she will stay that way, but she's practically braindead! Until her vital signs improve at all… I'm sorry to say there's literally nothing I, or anyone else for that matter, can do."

"You did what you could," Darien said. "Any idea what caused this?"

"Is this a good time to be honest?"

"Yes, of course it is!"

"I couldn't tell you even if I did have the slightest clue," he answered. "For now, all we can do is hope that whatever caused this will pass, and she can recover. You should all go home and get some rest; as far as I can tell, it will be a while before she can ever hear what we're saying."

"We're not leaving her side," Lita said.

"Heck no," Raye added.

Andrew smiled slightly. "That's friendship for you," he said. "Well, feel free to get something from the cafeteria if you'd like. Unless I'm needed elsewhere, I'll be in the B-wing down the hall."

"Thanks, Andrew," Serena said.

Andrew left the room, and the five other people in the room looked at the comatose woman in the hospital bed. A heart moniter was connected to her, that showed a steady, yet faint heartbeat.

"What happened?" Mina asked. "What did Jedite do to get to Amy like this?"

"I don't know," Serena replied. "It must have happened while I had that dream I told you guys about on the way here. He must have, I don't know, slipped in her room and infected her with his energy."

"If that happened, wouldn't Darien have known someone else was in the house?" Raye asked.

"In this line of work, anything is possible," Lita answered. "He could have been invisible, and that's maybe why you Serena and Darien just saw Amy floating on mid-air."

"It's possible," Mina added. "But we maybe overlooking something else."

"Damn t, you guys!" Serena suddenly snapped. "Would you forget about figuring out how it happened, so we can figure out how to undo it?!"

Everyone looked shocked at her, and some backed off in surprise. Serena looked downward in shame.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I just feel like it's kind of my fault that Amy's in that bed. I could've done something to prevent it; but instead, she's lying in that bed, probably fighting for her life, and there's nothing I can do about it."

"It isn't your fault," Darien replied. "There was no way you could have known that Jedite would try and get to Amy while you were dreaming. There's no way any of us could have known."

"Yeah," said Lita. "So don't go blaming yourself. This is his doing, not yours!"

"Thanks," Serena said, wiping a tear from her eye. "But that still doesn't excuse the fact that I couldn't stop him. There was still something I could have done to save her…"

"You talk about it like you had any control over it!" Raye interrupted. "It was a dream! Jedite probably just used it to keep you occupied while he attacked Amy! He was calling the shots in that world, so you couldn't possible have done anything. And even if you could, it wouldn't have mattered. Jedite was still in the real world doing what he came to do. Now how is affecting the outcome of a dream going to affect what happens on the outside?"

The tears kept streaming down Serena's face, even though she knew the raven-haired woman was right.

"And blaming yourself for this isn't going to get us anywhere!" Mina added. "So stop feeling sorry for yourself so we can get Jedite and help heal Amy!"

Serena wiped the last tear from her eye, and balled her hand into a tight fist. She looked up at the rest of her friends, a look of sheer determination on her face. The looks on their faces brightened as they saw her expression change.

"You're right!" she said. "No more feeling sorry for myself! We have to stop Jedite before another one of us is taken."

"Right!" all the others replied.

"So what do we do to stop this?" Lita asked.

The expression on Serena's face changed again. "To be honest, I don't know," she said. "I don't even know how Jedite got to Amy, or how he managed to put that dream in my head; or even why he used a dream to keep me occupied. All I know is,…"

She stopped in the middle of her sentence, as her friends waited for her to finish.

"Okay, okay, so I don't even know what I know!" she said. "Come on, guys! Help me out here; you all know how bad I am with strategic planning!"

"Boy, do we!" Raye commented. "But it's no problem. We've been through worse situations before, haven't we? We came up with what to do then, we can figure out what to do now!"

"Right!" the others answered.

"First off, someone should stay here with Amy," Mina said, "in case Jedite comes back to finish the job."

"I will," Serena said. "If he comes back, I want first dibs on his head!"

"Okay," Raye said. "The rest of us will go to your place, and we'll start thinking of what to do about all this. When we come up with something, we'll come back here and fill you in."

"I'll stay with Serena," said Darien. "I want Jedite just as much as anybody."

"Fine," said Lita. "Meanwhile, let's start planning!"

"We'll get back when we get a plan," Mina said. "Take care of Amy."

"We will," said Serena. "And make sure you fill in Luna and Artemis on what's been going on."

The three of them walked out the door, leaving behind Darien, Serena, and poor Amy in the bed.

**~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM~**

Jedite dissipated the glowing ball of light again.

"Fools!" he cursed. "They have no idea whatsoever of what I'm really doing to them! And that idiot Sailor Moon! I'm through with Mercury; I've nothing more to do with her. Moon girl is wasting her time looking after her, and the others are wasting their time trying to think of how to stop me! The idea in and of itself is ridiculous."

He walked up the stairs, and sat in his skull throne, and he grinned maliciously.

"Now," he said, "who should I strike next?"

He lifted his right hand into the air, and extended his index and middle fingers. In front of him, five symbols appeared and floated in mid-air; the crescent moon and the respectively-colored symbols of the planets Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, and Venus. With a wave of his fingers, Jedite made the mercury symbol vanish, leaving the other four in a circle formation.

Suddenly, the four symbols began spinning around in a wheel-like fashion, turning into a blur of color in the space in front of Jedite.

Jedite lowered his hand, and pointed his extended fingers at the wheel, stopping it in place. Jedite looked up at the top symbol of the wheel, amd smiled as a bright red glow emerged forth from it.

"I'm really going to enjoy this…"

**~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM~**

"Anything?"

"Nothing," Darien said.

"It's been twelve hours," Serena said, staring out the window. "How long is this going to last?"

"I wish I could tell you," Darien replied. "It could last for 24 hours, or 24 years! There's no way of telling."

"Well, how are we supposed to tell?"

"I don't know that either," he said. "I bet even Greg's ability to see the future couldn't tell us."

"I just can't believe how helpless we are," Serena commented. "There she is, the life drained from her, with absolutely no sign of a possible recovery, while we sit here with absolutely no idea what to do about it!"

"I know, I know," he replied. "But all we can do now is wait for the others to get back, so they can give us their plans."

"I know," Serena said, trying to hold back her tears.

Darien got up from his seat and started walking towards the door. "I'm going to get some food; I haven't eaten anything since this whole thing happened this morning. Do you want me to get you anything?"

"No thanks," Serena said, not even turning to look at him. She only looked to the ground.

Darien, feeling he knew what was on his lady love's mind, walked over and placed his hands over her shoulders.

"Serena," he said, "you can't keep feeling guilty about this. Amy knew the danger that she might face in becoming a Sailor Scout when she took the job. And there's nothing you could have done to prepare for what happened to her. You just have to accept that."

"I know, I know," Serena said through stifled cries.

"Look, maybe some food will make you feel better," Darien suggested. "You sure you don't want anything?"

"I'm too worried about Amy to eat; my appetite's long since dead."

"Okay," he said, "but eat something in the next couple hours. Consider it doctor's orders."

He reached down and kissed her on the cheek, then let go of her and walked out the door. He closed the door behind him, and left Serena behind with Amy. Serena looked back up and smiled, appreciating how sweet Darien was, especially in her time of seeming despair.

"Well," she thought, "if I don't eat, I should at least get some sleep."

She walked away from the window, and sat down in a chair next to Amy's bed. She looked over at Amy's motionless face. Holding back a tear, she reached out and took her hand into hers, and looked reassuringly at her.

"I promise you, Amy," she said. "Jedite will pay for this; even if it costs me my life, he will pay dearly for this!"

She let go of her hand, and sat back in the chair.

She relaxed her body, and slowly but surely closed her eyes, and fell asleep.

**~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM~**

"Okay, let's discuss how it's possible for Jedite to have slipped into the apartment. Anything he could have done would have waken Darien or Serena up, so how did he do it?"

"Maybe he didn't slip in through the door or window; he could have just teleported in through a portal or something… Oh, I don't know; what do you think, Raye?"

There was no response.

"Raye?"

Still nothing.

"Raye!"

Mina finally gave Raye a slap in the back of the head to wake her up. Raye snorted a little, making it obvious that she had fallen asleep. Through half-closed eyes, she looked around the room, and finally realized what had happened.

"Mina!" she snapped. "What'd you go and do that for?"

"We're supposed to be planning our retaliation against Jedite, which is hard to do when you're falling asleep every five minutes!"

"You would be too if you had the night I had!" Raye replied. "I couldn't get a single second of sleep the entire evening, and hearing that Amy was attacked in her sleep didn't exactly help! Now I haven't had a decent night's sleep in two days! We've been discussing this whole thing for the entire day, having come up with nothing, and it's almost midnight! Now get off my back about it!"

"Guys, let's get back to business," Lita interrupted. "We've got a super-powered psycho general on the loose and a friend of ours who's in a coma _because_ of the super-powered psycho general! This isn't exactly the best time to argue about our sleeping habits!"

And while the three of them argued, the two cat guardians, Luna and Artemis, watched and listened in, while having their own discussion.

"It's just like old times, isn't it?" the white cat asked.

"Almost," Luna replied. "Except there's only three of them bickering instead of all five. And it's Mina and Raye instead of Serena and Raye doing the most arguing."

"That's because one is in a coma, and another is looking after her," Artemis commented.

"It almost makes you wish it WAS the old days," Luna said.

"Maybe we should be helping them instead of sitting on the sidelines and talking about it," Artemis suggested. "We really should be giving our piece of mind so that maybe they can do something about Jedite."

"And ruin the fun of watching them argue?" Luna replied. "Of course not! Besides, I'm no better at strategy than Serena is, and having known you since the Silver Millenium, the same thing can be said about you!"

"That's an unfair thing to say! I've never even given my strategic ideas to anyone before; so how can you say that I'm bad at it?"

"The fact that you've never given your ideas at all proves you're bad at it!"

"You just don't stop, do you?"

"What's your idea of it?"

"Is that a trick question?"

"Maybe, maybe not. What do you think?"

"It IS, isn't it? I hate it when you do that to me!"

Luna laughed heartily, while Artemis poured his heart out at her. Meanwhile, the three Scouts in the room were still discussing the situation at hand.

"Do you think it's possible that Jedite attacked her in the dream?" Lita asked. "If that's the case, that could explain why no one heard him slip in the apartment, and how Serena and Darien just saw her floating in mid-air!"

"That's ridiculous!" Mina replied. "That would be proving that old theory that if you die in your sleep, you die for real! And it's a stupid theory to begin with!"

"Well, maybe you're right. What do you think, Raye?"

They both turned to their raven-haired companion, only to see that she had fallen asleep once again, slumped into Serena's black leather recliner. Both Lita and Mina sweat-dropped at the sight of it.

"I can't believe she's sleeping at a time like this!" Mina complained.

She got up to go slap Raye again, but Lita grabbed her by the arm and stopped her.

"Just let her sleep," she said. "She may prove to be more effective to us when she's gotten some rest."

"Fine," Mina said, relunctantly sitting back in her chair.

They continued the conversation, and while they did, Raye slept comfortably, and she dreamed…

Oh, man, did she dream…

**~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM~**

Serena walked through the mist covered area, trying to see where she was going. She tried swatting away the clouds covering her vision, but still, the mist surrounded her and kept her from seeing anything.

"Hello?" she called. "Hello? Is anybody out here? Damn, I can't see a thing in all this fog!"

She continued moving forward, despite the fact that she didn't even know where she was. As far as she was concerned, she could have been on an asteroid in another galaxy and she wouldn't have known it.

"Hello?" she called again.

Finally, a respone…

"Hello?…" a female voice called back.

Serena looked up and around her. "Hello?" she called again. "Who's there?"

"Serena?" the voice called back. "Is that you?"

"That depends; who are you?"

Suddenly from several meters in front of her, Serena saw someone walk out from the clouds of mist and into her short range of vision. Serena saw the woman's face and raven hair, and, from the distant voice she heard, she could tell who it was.

"Raye?"

The woman looked up, and her eyes brightened. "Serena! It IS you!" she said. She ran up and stood in front of Serena.

"What are you doing here?" Serena asked.

"I was about to ask you the same thing, Meatball Head," Raye replied. "I can already tell this is a dream, but I don't know what you're doing here."

"What are you talking about?" Serena asked. "This is my dream! So what are you doing here?"

"I don't know," she said.

"Well, do you have any idea where we are?" Serena said. "I've been walking around here for ten minutes and I haven't been able to see a thing!"

"Sorry," she answered. "I've haven't had any more luck than you are. The only I can think of is… we're lost."

"Well, have you seen anybody else here? Anyone who can tell us what the heck this place is?"

"No," Raye said.

"Ah, questions, questions," a sinister voice intervened.

Raye and Serena both turned to the side, and saw someone slowly descend from the clouds above. As he entered the scene, they could see the man's silver shinguards, belt, armguards and, shoulderpads, all on top of his purple uniform.

"Inquiring minds want to know," the man continued. "That seems to be a sort of catchphrase for the people in today's society, isn't. It doesn't matter the subject, there always seems to be a question to be asked. 'What is that', 'what's going on', or, in your case, 'where are we'. Well don't fret; I'm here to answer those questions; unfortunately, those answers will cost you your lives!"

Both Raye and Serena gasped.

"Jedite!" they both screamed.

"Ding! Ding! Ding!" the general said, imitating a bell. "It looks like we have a winner! The grand prize, death at my hands!"

Jedite shot out both arms, creating a burst of light. Suddenly, all the white mist in the area cleared out and disappeared in an outward shockwave. Serena and Raye covered their faces as the clouds rushed past them.

After the light dissolved, the two looked around as saw a massive jungle valley all around them, in which they stood right in the middle of. They then turned to Jedite, his eyes glowing brightly.

"Welcome to my playground, ladies," he said. "Let the games begin!"

"Run for it!" Serena screamed, as both, she and Raye turned tail and ran from the general, who only laughed maniacally.

"Run all you like, Sailor Scouts!" he called. "You can't escape me! I am everywhere!"

"Come and get us, you fashion-challenged freak!" Raye taunted. "I've met some dumb blondes in my life, but you just take the cake!"

"That wasn't a very smart thing to do, Raye!" Serena hissed.

"Oh, I'm so hurt!" Jedite sarcastically replied. "Y'know, coming from someone who most likely isn't even a real brunette, that really hurts my feelings! I'd love to stay here and exchange insults with you, Ms. Hino, but I really must get down to business!"

With that, Jedite flew forward and chased after Raye at full speed. He suddenly appeared in front of her, stopping her in her tracks. Raye stepped back a little, then clenched her teeth, growled, and threw a punch.

Unfortunately, Jedite dodged and grabbed her by the arm.

"Give it up!" he said. "You know I won't!"

"Eat shoe!"

Raye threw her other arm around, and knocked Jedite's grip loose. She then whirled around, jumped, and performed a mid-air spin kick. However, Jedite snapped his head backwards and avoided her foot. Raye landed on the ground, then started a barrage of martial arts kicks and punches, with each attempt being blocked or dodged, and Jedite enjoying it very much.

"Hold still, damn you!" she growled.

She threw another punch. Jedite grabbed her arm, and twisted it around, temporarily dislocating her shoulder. Raye grunted as the crunching sound was heard. Jedite grinned maliciously, then took the opportunity to drive his knee into her stomach!

Raye let out an "Oof!", while Serena finally made it back to where they were. She gasped at the sight of her friend being attacked.

"Raye!" she cried.

Jedite attacked several more times, smashing Raye in the face with the back of his metal fist. Raye's head snapped to the side with each hit, and turned back, only to be hit in the face again.

Serena looked around her for a weapon (keeping in mind how familiar that seemed), and found two things that could prove satisfactory. On her left, she saw a dislocated branch of a nearby tree. On her right, there lay a large stone, with a sharp edge pointed upward. In a rush, Serena grabbed the tree branch. She then turned around, and thrust the blunt end of the of it into the sharp edge of the stone. The edge got lodged in the branch, with the tip sticking out of the dead wood.

She picked the new weapon, then turned in Jedite's direction and clenched her teeth.

"Hey!" she called. "Try fighting someone who can fight back!"

She ran at the general, swinging the axe that she made. When she got within two meters of him, she swung it around, and caught him on the left arm. Jedite screeched in pain, and let go of Raye at the same time. He looked at his arm, and growled angrily as a thin green liquid started trickling down from the wound.

Meanwhile, Serena rushed over to Raye, who had fallen to the ground from Jedite's beating. She grabbed the raven-haired woman by the arm, helped to her feet, and ran off away from Jedite.

"Come on!" she said.

They ran off together, while Jedite tended to his wound. He held his right palm over the cut, and sent a stream of white electricity on it, healing it in a matter of seconds. He then looked up in the girls' direction.

"Damn that Sailor Moon!" he cursed. "She's not the gutless little winp that I remember so well. Oh well… I enjoy a challenge."

He stood up straight, then flew at the two of them again.

He flew up at them at full speed and grabbed Raye by the shoulder. Meanwhile, he kicked Serena in the back, sending her stumbling forward and onto her stomach. Jedite then pulled Raye backwards, and threw her to the ground behind him. Serena tried to get up and attack him, but Jedite kicked the axe from her hand. He then kicked with his other foot and hit her in the face. She rolled onto back, while the general walked over to Raye and hoisted her off the ground. He held her several feet off the ground by her neck, while he laughed evilly.

"Interesting," he said. "I got more of a challenge out of your good friend Mercury than I did you, especially considering you've always been one of the stronger ones… Oh, well… perhaps I'll get more fight out of Jupiter or Venus."

"Serena…" Raye stammered, struggling for air. "help me!"

Serena, who had quickly recovered from Jedite's kick to the face, finally rolled onto her back, sat up, and kicked up her foot, hitting the general in the back! She then got to her hands and knees, whirled around, and swept him off his feet!

Jedite let go of Raye, who fell to the ground, while Jedite was knocked to the floor. Serena quickly got up and ran over to Raye, and once again helped her up.

"I'm not letting you go that easily, girlfriend!" she said, as she again ran off, taking Raye with her.

Jedite got to one knee, and glared up at the fleeing women, his eyes glowing angrily with their white luminescence.

"You will never escape me!" he yelled, as he cupped his hands at his side, and summoned his evil energy. It swilred around in the space between his hands for several seconds, and balled together into a bright mass of light.

Then, he threw his hands forward, and sent a thick beam of white light shooting forward, hitting Serena and Raye in the back, and sending them flying off their feet and onto their stomachs.

As Serena wearily tried to get up, Raye only rolled onto her back, and let out a sigh of defeat.

"Serena…" she said. "Get out of here while you can… he wants me, not you…"

"Forget it!" she snapped back. "I didn't abandon you in the last dream, and I'm sure as hell not going to abandon now!

"If you stay, he'll kill you…"

"And if you stay, he'll kill you! And I won't let that happen!"

"Actually, dear Serena," Jedite's sinister voice said, as he walked up from behind the both of them, "I'm afraid your raven-haired friend is correct; it's not you I want to get rid of; at least not now, that is. As in the previous dream, I'm after the only other person you see here. So I believe I'll just expel you from this realm of the DreamScape as well. No offense or anything; it's just that your being here when I deal with her can… complicate things, if you know what I mean."

With that, Jedite pointed his right hand at Serena, and, with a maniacal smile, shot another energy bolt at her. Another flash of white light…

And Serena woke up.

She shot up out of the chair, wide-eyed, and sweat pouring down her face again. She was no longer in the jungle scene, but in the hospital room where her friend Amy was lying in a bed in a comatose state. She looked left and right, and realized there was someone standing right in front her. As her vision cleared up, she realized it was Darien.

"Serena!" he said. "Serena!"

"Huh?… What the-? Darien?" she said. "Oh, god, was I dreaming again?"

"Yeah, you were," he replied. And from the way your body was shaking around, I'd say it was some nightmare.

"Oh, man, you don't know how right you are," she said, as she slumped over and buried her head in her hands. "Jedite was chasing us, except it was Raye instead of Amy; he got her in his clutched and…"

She stopped and looked, and realized just how much like the previous dream this new one was…

"Oh my god! Raye!" she cried. "Where's the phone?"

"It's right over ther-"

Serena got to her feet, pushed past her boyfriend, grabbed the cordless phone on the table next to where Amy lay, dialed in a phone number, and put the phone speaker to her ear as she desperately waited for an answer on the other end.

"Come on, damn it! answer!" she cursed, as she slammed her fist on the table in frustration.

Finally, a click was heard, and Mina's voice answered.

"Hello?"

"Mina?" Serena asked.

"Serena?" Mina's voice answered, in an almost panicked tone. "My god, I was just about to call you!"

"What's happening over there?" Serena demanded. "What's happening to Raye?"

"You know something's happening?"

"Yes, I know something's happening! What's going on?!"

"She's choking or something!" Mina answered. "She's struggling for air, and her body's glowing like a light bulb! Lita's trying to help her, but she keeps getting knocked away by… something!"

"Get her away from him!"

"What?"

"Get her away from him!" Serena ordered. "Get her away from Jedite!"

"Jedite? What're you-"

"Shut up and do it!"

Suddenly, Lita's voice broke in, but further away from the speaker. Serena heard a short conversation over the phone, then Mina returned to the phone.

"Serena!" she cried. "Call an ambulance! She's unconscious!"

"I'm way ahead of you!" Serena replied, then slammed the phone back on it's base. She then turned to Darien, a worried look on her face, while Darien looked back, a surprised look on his face.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"It's happened again…"

**~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM~**

"I don't believe it," Darien said. "Two attacks in two nights; it just isn't plausible."

"Anything's plausible when you put a psychopath like Jedite into the equation," Serena answered, sitting in the chair, her head buried in her hands. "Even something like this. Jedite attacks two of us, while keeping me occupied in a dream state, so I can't do anything about it. Convenient, isn't it?"

"The same thing happened in this dream, right?" Lita asked.

"You got it," Serena said.

"Why is he doing this?" Mina asked. "Sneaking in invisible and attacking twice like this is just too repetitive for Jedite. What's his game? Why is he taking us out one at a time like this?"

"I wish I knew," Serena replied. "I also don't know why he's giving me these stupid dreams of his… why he isn't keeping us all occupied like he is me."

She got up from the chair, walked up next to Darien, and looked at the two beds before them. In one lay Amy Mizuno, who had been in the bed since the middle of the night 24 hours ago. In the other was the Sailor Scout of the planet Mars, Raye Hino, who had just joined Amy no more than twenty minutes ago.

"How is he doing this?" Serena asked. "He can't be just sneaking in and attacking; that's too easy. He wants a challenge, and he won't get it by doing what he has been doing."

"Well, we aren't going to figure anything out just standing around like this," Lita said. "And I can't do it on an empty stomach. I need some food; that might help me calm down a little. Anybody want to come with me?"

"I'm with you, girl," Mina replied. "I haven't eaten at all since this morning."

"Are you two gonna be all right on your own?" Mina asked of the other two.

"We'll be fine," Darien answered, speaking for both himself and his girlfriend, even though he knew her emotional state was quite the opposite.

As the two left the room, Serena looked shamefully to the floor.

"You didn't have to lie to them like that," she said. "They're entitled to know how I feel about this…"

"They know how you feel about this," Darien said. "They both know you've been with Amy and Raye longer than any of them have been with you. They know you're taking this whole thing the hardest."

"How do you always know what I'm thinking?" she asked him, looking up into his dark blue eyes.

"I know you, Meatball Head," he said, smiling at her. "And besides, that year of psychology I took at college paid off."

Serena didn't smile back, but only looked back at her two friends in the hospital beds, their bodies hooked up to heart moniters, showing the exact same faint, but steady heartrate. The smile faded from Darien's face as well as he realized she was not amused.

"Sorry," he said. "I'm just trying to make you feel even a little better about any of this."

"I know," she said. She tried to hold back her tears as she watched Amy and Raye. Finally, she couldn't hold back her rage any longer, as she started sniffling, and a tear rolled down her face.

Suddenly, she lost control, and ran up against Darien, grabbed him by the shirt, buried her head in his chest, and started crying uncontrollably. Darien smiled a little, and wrapped his arms around her, and held her tightly.

"It's all right," he said. "Go ahead and cry; I'm not going to stop you."

Serena cried for a minute, then turned her head away from him, and looked back at Amy and Raye. The tears continued streaming down her face, but her crying was held back.

"You know what I can't stand the most?" she asked. "It's the fact that I can't even begin to make sense of any of this! Why is he doing this to us? Why is he sneaking these images into my head, while he attacks my friends on the outside? It… dammit, it just doesn't make any sense to me!"

"Actually, dear Serena," a sweet voice suddenly replied, "it can make perfect sense when you realize what is really happening."

Serena stopped crying, and both she and Darien looked up and behind them, as they though that voice was familiar.

When they turned around, they saw a bright ball of light hovering behind them. The ball expanded, and changed shape. As it morphed, the shape of a tall woman's body was seen, and around her head, the outline of Serena's specific hairstyle could be seen. Around her midsection, the shape of a pair of angel's wings spread out and flapped.

Finally, the light flashed brightly, and Darien and Serena covered their eyes. As the light died away, they both uncovered their faces and looked forward. Serena's eyes widened as she saw who stood before them; a beautiful form, in a royal white gown, with two angel wings behind her; and a head of hair exactly like Serena's except the color was a bright silver color.

"Queen Serenity?" she gasped.

"Hello, Serena," she said with a smile. "Prince Darien; how wonderful to see you after all these years."

"You highness," he replied.

"What are you doing here?" Serena asked.

"I saw the return of Jedite from the higher powers above," the former ruler of the Moon Kingdom replied. "I saw how he had increased his powers, and how he has attacked Princesses Mercury and Mars, and I had to come. I've come to help you fight him."

"What did you mean before?" Serena said. "'When I realize what's really happening'? What's that supposed to mean?"

"You have the wrong idea of what Jedite has used to attack your friends," Serenity answered. "You only have half the picture in your possession. Jedite is using the dreams to occupy you, but he's using them for more as well."

"What do you mean?"

Serenity smiled at her, and laughed a little. "You have grown much since you first became Sailor Moon," she said, "but you still have much to learn. Tell me, Serena; in any of your previous dreams, did Jedite mention something about a place called the DreamScape?"

Serena thought for a moment, and came up with an answer. "Yes… yes, he did," she answered. "In the dream where he attacked Raye, he mentioned something about it… he said, 'I'll have to expel you from the realm of the DreamScape…' He did say that… but…"

"The DreamScape is what Jedite is using to attack your friends," the Queen said.

"What is the DreamScape?"

"The DreamScape," Serenity answered, "is a realm of unconsciousness; a universal plane of reality in which the dreams of any number of people could somehow tie together into one collective vision of the night. It happens very rarely, but every so often, one, two, three, or even four people at a time can reach the DreamScape, and dream the exact same dream."

"And the dreams I've had…"

"Jedite has somehow manipulated the DreamScape to use for his own evil plan to get rid of you," she said. "Somehow, he has drawn you and the victims of his attacks to the DreamScape, where he has attacked you. The events in between the middle and the end may be different, but the end result is always the same; you wake up, and one of your friends is in a coma."

"I don't think I understand…" Serena said.

"It is rather complicated," the Queen replied. "I found it difficult to comprehend myself, but what happens there can explain some other strange occurances in your lives."

"What do you mean?" Darien asks.

"Remember the recurring dreams you had?" Serenity answered. "About the vision of Princess Serena, begging you to set her free? That was a result of the DreamScape's magic. It can mold itself into something somehow based in reality; in that case, it molded itself from the faint memory of the Moon Kingdom, and the knowledge that you somehow had to free the princess in your vision."

"So that's how I knew…" Darien thought.

"And it doesn't end there," the Queen said. "Remember the dreams you had, of how if you did not stay away from Serena, that she would somehow be harmed?"

"Yes, I do, but that was King Endymion's doing," he said. "He gave me those visions to test how strong the love between me and Serena was, to make sure we come through with our destinies in Crystal Tokyo."

"And he used the DreamScape to do so," she said. "If you remember correctly, Serena recieved the exact same vision once. And such a thing is only possible by means of the DreamScape. And, unfortunately, it is also by means of such a beautiful thing as the DreamScape that Jedite has attacked Mars and Mercury."

"But how do you know this?" Serena asked.

"It goes back to long before you were born in the Moon Kingdom, sweet child," Serenity answered, with a slight smile, "when I was but a Princess, and my parents ruled the dominion. That was how Queen Beryl's forces first attempted to overtake the kingdom; by manipulating the dreams of its inhabitants, and trying to turn them against one another. Fortunately, by use of the Imperium Silver Crystal, their forces were defeated, and things were returned to their normal state."

"But what does that have to do with the fact that Raye and Amy are both in a coma?" asked Darien.

"Unfortunately, that's one of the bad things about the DreamScape," Serenity said. "It seems, whatever happens to the dreamer in the dream, happens for real in outside world. In other words, the old theory, ' if you die in the dream, you die for real' truly does have substance when you speak of a realm like the DreamScape."

"So what you're saying," Serena said, "is that somehow, Jedite has drawn us into this… DreamScape, and there, he's attacking them? And then they're hurt for real on the outside?"

"Exactly," Serenity said.

"But I don't get it," Serena continued. "If what happens in the dream happens for real, how come nothing's happened to me in the real world? I remember taking some pretty hard blows during both Amy and Raye's dreams."

"But has nothing happened to you?" Serenity asked. "In Raye's dream, I believe, Jedite hit you in the back with an energy stream. Tell me… does your back hurt at all?"

Serena widened her eyes, as she suddenly realized, the entire time since the dream, she felt a slight stinging in her back.

"My god, you're right!" she said, as she felt her face. "And… my head hurts too; after Jedite kicked me the face! Ooh, I'd like to get him back for that one!"

"So that's how he's done it," Darien said, turning to the two comatose women in the hospital beds. "He's drawn them to the DreamScape, and since anything in the dream happens for real, Jedite could attack them with little to no resistance."

"I'm afraid so," the Queen said. "After attacking them, Jedite is somehow holding them inside the darkest corners of the DreamScape; hidden from the light of day, where they are powerless to do anything on their own."

"But how do we cure them?" Serena asked.

"I wish I could tell you, my child," Serenity answered. "But the higher powers that have allowed me to come here have only given me so much information; therefore, I can only tell YOU so much. Everything else you need to know, I'm sorry to say, you must learn on your own. Forgive me."

"You can only tell us what you've already been told yourself, Mother," Serena said. "How do we know who he'll strike next?"

"Whoever is in your next dream with you besides Jedite, that is who he will strike. You have had two dreams in two nights already; if anything, the next dream will be the next time you sleep."

"But how do we fight him?" Serena asked.

"It will be difficult," the Queen said. "As long as Jedite manipulates the DreamScape as he does now, there's no way to tell how to retaliate. But I know he can be defeated. And I also know you will try your best."

Suddenly, a bright light shined and flashed from behind Serenity's angelic wings. Darien and Serena both covered their eyes from the light, with the former Queen of the moon casually turned her head backwards and looked into the light. She then looked forward at the two, a smile on her face.

"I'm afraid it's time I must leave for now," she said. "The higher powers are calling for me. I would help you further if they would allow."

"You've helped us more than we could have helped ourselves, your highness," Darien said.

Serenity smiled even more. "Prince Darien," she said, "always so sweet."

She walked closer to her daughter, and placed her hand on her face, and gently caressed her face.

"Serena," she said, "whatever you do, never give up the fight. If you do, Jedite will surely destroy everything you hold dear."

"I never will, Mother," Serena replied.

Serenity then turned to Darien, and placed her hand on his shoulder.

"Darien," she said. "Protect her as you always have; as I did once."

"I always will," he said.

With a smile, Serenity turned and started walking into the light. As she did, the light brightened, blinding the couple. They covered their eyes from it again, until it died down. As it did, they uncovered their faces, and saw that both the light, and Queen Serenity had disappeared.

And as she vanished, the couple looked at each other, than at Raye and Amy.

"So now we know how he's doing it," Serena said.

"What's our first step?" Darien asked.

"Tell Lita and Mina," Serena answered. "They'll want to hear every word of this."

"And then…" Darien said, "we fight."

**~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM~**

And fight they did… unfortunately, not hard enough.

Two more nights passed, and two more dreams were seen. And as well, two more attacks, this time on Sailors Jupiter and Venus; leaving Serena behind with the guilt of knowing she had failed to help either of them.

Now, all four of the attack victims lay near-motionless in a row of hospital beds, with heart monitors hooked up to their bodies. The only movement was the slow up-and-down motion of their chests as they breathed in and out.

"In all my years as a doctor, I've never seen anything like this," Andrew said. "Four of your friends, coming down with the exact same condition." He then turned to Serena and Darien. "I honestly don't know what to tell you."

"Tell us what you can," Darien said.

"You had to ask, didn't you?" he replied. "There isn't much I really can tell you. We can only hope for what we hoped for when it was just Amy who was in here."

"Thanks, Andrew," Serena said, who only looked to the tile floor beneath her, as a tear rolled down her face.

"I have to leave now," Andrew said, glancing down at his watch. "I was called into surgery when I heard Mina came in, so I have to get down there as soon as I can. I'll leave you two alone."

He started to leave the room, but stopped in the doorway and looked back at them both.

"And get some rest, both of you," he said. "This whole situation has probably taken a lot out of you, and neither of you look like you've gotten a good night's sleep in two weeks."

He then left, and as he did, Serena lost control. She threw herself into Darien, and started crying uncontrollably. Darien put his arms around her affectionately.

"I tried," she said through her sobs, "and I still couldn't do anything to stop him. All I was good enough to do was watch and let them be picked off, one by one… until I was the only one left…"

"You did what you could," Darien replied. "There was no way you could have controlled what went on in there. As long as Jedite manipulates the DreamScape, anything he thinks up, goes. He probably even imagined those few hits you got on him."

"I still could have tried harder…" she said, as the sobs continued.

"Serena…" he said.

"Oh, don't even say it!" Serena snapped, as she looked up into his eyes. "I know it's not my fault that they're all in the same coma together, but it IS my fault that I couldn't protect them! As their leader, it's my job to make sure nothing like this happens to them… and I failed… miserably! And ten years slacking off hasn't exactly helped a whole hell of a lot either!"

"You have not been slacking off!" Darien said. "Among all of them, you've had to work the hardest as a Sailor Scout, both by yourself and with them by your side. You've gotten all of us out of more bad situations than any of them can honestly say, and they will admit it, and so will I! And even after the whole Galaxia thing, you've still been working your hardest! So I don't want to hear you say another word about you slacking off, because it's as inaccurate as it gets!"

"He's right, you know," a sweet voice said, as a bright light filled the room.

The two looked up away from each other, and watched as the angelic form of Queen Serenity entered the room.

"You have tried your best to stop Jedite," she said, "and that's all anyone in your position be expected to do."

"I know, I know," Serena said, wiping the tears from her eyes. "But I can't help but feel responsible for…"

"Serena," the Queen interrupted, "it is as much their responsibility to protect themselves as it is for you to protect them. They knew the risks when they became Sailor Scouts, and I know they hold no amount of responsibility for their conditions on you."

Serena didn't reply.

"I know it's hard," Serenity continued, "feeling there's nothing you could do to save them; but as bad as things look, it is not hopeless, either for them or for you. Nothing is as grim as it seems, just as long as you keep up the fight…"

"But how?" Serena interrupted. "How am I supposed to stop him? He's too powerful for me to fight on my own! Even with one of my friends there beside, I was still helpless to stop him!"

"I don't know," the Queen replied. "But what I do know is that you are powerful enough to stop him. Perhaps not on your own; in fact, no one should take Jedite on alone for that matter. But I have watched you all along, Serena; you and your friends, and I know that in the end you will come out triumphant. It may be a long and arduous battle, but I know that you are strong enough to face this danger."

"That doesn't make it any easier," Serena said.

"It's not supposed to," Serenity replied. "Serena, you have to trust me on this. To defeat Jedite, you have to look beyond both his and your outer asthetic powers and abilities, and look inside to the greater power that lies within you. "

Serena looked up at her true mother, with an interested look on her face.

"You must find that power, Serena," the Queen continued, as she placed a reassuring hand on Serena's shoulder, "and utilize it to its full potential. That and only that can defeat Jedite in the realm of the DreamScape."

"What do you mean?"

Serenity looked away semi-shamefully.

"I'm afraid I can't tell you," she said. "As I've told you before, the higher powers responsible for my being here have only allowed me to tell you so much. I wish I could saymore, but only if they alloy…"

"But what about Jedite's…'inner power'?" Darien asked. "If Serena taps hers, how do we know Jedite won't find his?"

"Either he has no idea of their existence or he's already pushed it outside, and he isn't quite as powerful as he looks… or thinks." Serenity answered.

"But-" Serena started.

"I can't tell you any more," Serenity said. "In fact, I've already told you too much."

"So what now?" asked Serena.

Suddenly, the bright circle of light flashed behind Queen Serenity, once again blinding both Serena and Darien.

"I have to leave you now," the Queen stated. "But I will return when the time the right; and of course when the higher powers allow me once again to come to this plane. Never give up the fight, either of you."

With that, the former Queen on the Moon turned her angel's wings to her daughter and her boyfriend, and walked into the light. Another bright flash of light later, and she was gone, along with the white portal she had walked into, once again leaving Serena and Darien behind, along with their four comatose friends.

"What now?" Darien asked.

Serena though for a moment, then finally answered, "As long as we're asleep, we're vulnerable to Jedite's attacks. The first thing to do is stay up and awake as long as we can, while planning how to face him when the dream comes."

"Sounds like a plan to me," he said.

"C'mon, let's go home," Serena said. "Luna and Artemis are going to want to be filled in on the details."

The two of them started to walk out of the room, when suddenly, Andrew opened the door and walked in.

"Hey, what was that bright flash of light in here a minute ago?" he asked.

"Uh…" Darien answered, "the, uh, TV's brightness control was up too high."

**~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM~**

Back at Serena's apartment, she and Darien sat on the couch was trying their hardest to stay awake, drinking cup after cup of coffee to keep their eyes open. It was nearly 5:00 in the morning.

However, despite their efforts, slowly but surely, their eyelids drooped lower and lower. It was getting increasingly difficult to stay awake. But they knew they had to avoid Jedite's wrath, for they knew that his vengeance against Sailor Moon would be the most vicious of all.

Luna walked in the room, a ceramic mug in her teeth. She walked up to Serena.

"More coffee?" she asked in a muffled voice.

"Thank you, Luna," Serena replied, in a fatigued tone. Serena took the mug from the cat guardians teeth, brought it too her lips, and took a sip of the black liquid inside, while Luna jumped up and stood behind her head.

As she took the mug away, Serena's eyes drooped lower and lower, until they finally closed, and her head dropped.

Luna, who was watching her, saw Serena fall asleep.

"Serena!" she cried, as she swiped her claws past the back of Serena's neck.

Serena gave a short scream, and her eyes shot open, and her straightened her body. Realizing it was only Luna waking her up, she then relaxed her body and slumped back into her seat.

Turning to her boyfriend, she said, "Uh! It's hopeless, Darien. We can't stay up forever! Sooner or later, we have to face him."

"But we still don't know how to beat him," he replied. "As long as we don't have a plan, we don't stand a chance against him. And we still don't know what Queen Serenity meant by that hidden power thing."

"It's never as hopeless as it looks," Artemis commented, as he climbed up behind Darien's seat.

"How do you mean?"

"Well…" he said, at a loss for words, "uh, well, um… look, I'm trying to make you feel a little better about all this. Excuse me for failing."

"Thank you for trying, Artemis," Luna said. "A pathetic try, but thank you for it."

The white cat gave her the look.

"He is right," Serena said. "It's never hopeless; not until Jedite's defeated all of us. He hasn't won yet! And soon, I'll have to finish this."

"You mean us," Darien said.

"No, me," she said. "He thinks Tuxedo Mask is dead, Darien. So he'll only drag me into the DreamScape. He could care less about you."

"If he tries to hurt you, he tries to hurt me," Darien replied. "If you go, I go too. The only problem is we still don't know how to fight him."

"Maybe…" Artemis said.

"What?" Luna asked, turning to him.

"Well… oh, never mind. You'd think it's stupid."

"No, really, tell us!" Serena said. "We need all the ideas we can get!"

"Well," the cat guardian said. "Serenity said that Jedite was manipulating the DreamScape to fit his needs, right?"

"Right."

"What if we could do the same?"

"What?!" Luna demanded.

"If he can use the DreamScape to form his own reality, then technically, we could do the exact same thing to him!" Artemis continued. "Anyone who reaches that plain of reality could be able shape it into whatever he or she wants! That had to be how King Endymion put those dreams into Darien and Serena's heads! If he did it, and Jedite is doing it, then it only goes to show you that we can do it!"

"You're right," Luna said.

"I am?"

"He is?" the other two in the room said.

"Yes," Luna continued, "I do think it sounds stupid!"

Artemis growled at her.

"No, no, no," Serena said. "Now that I think about it, that does make a shred of sense! If Jedite and Endymion had the power to use the DreamScape to their own advantage, then that does mean we have the ability to use it as well!"

"Then you're saying," Darien said, "that we can attack him the same way he's attack us?"

"And put our own special twist on his demented little game!" Serena answered. "That had to be what Serenity meant! The hidden power is the ability to use the DreamScape the way you want it to be used, so we can wrench it away from Jedite! It's the perfect weapon!"

"To use our own dreams against him instead of us!" Darien said.

"Artemis, you're a genius!" Serena cried, grabbing him by the head and kissing him on the forehead. Artemis blushed.

"We have to prepare ourselves," Darien said, "for when we go into the dream."

"You're right," Serena replied, getting up from the couch.

We walked over to the bookcase, pulled on the fake book, and the secret glass display swiveled around. Serena opened the display at the top, reached in, and took the Imperium Silver Crystal from its pedestal.

"I'm definitely going to need this," she said.

She held the sacred crystal tightly in her hands, then closed her eyes. She then opened her hands, and the Silver Crystal was floating in mid-air between them, glowing it's pink aura. She raised her hands into the air, taking the crystal with them. As the crystal glowed brightly, thin streams of pink energy started flowing towards it from out of nowhere. The streams circled around each other and the crystal, until a bright flash of white light came forth.

When the light dimmed, the crystal was surrounded by its dazzling locket casing, the whole of which glowed like a bright pink star. Also, a pure golden chain necklace was attached to either side of it.

Serena opened her eyes, and closed her hands around the locket, and brought it downwards in front of her. She stared at it, and the locket opened up, revealing the Silver Crystal embedded within. The crystal reflected the light of the room, and crackled for several seconds with pink electricity.

"Nice special effects," Artemis said.

"Tell me about it," the other cat replied. "I've never seen itdo that before."

"Are you ready, Darien?" Serena asked, as she placed the necklace and locket around her neck.

"Well, I don't know about me…" Darien answered, "but it's a good bet an old friend of mine is…"

Serena turned to him with a curious stare on her face. Darien held up his hand, and turned his palm around several times to her. Finally, he turned the back of his hand to her, and flexed his fingers once. Then, he turned his palm to her again, but as he did, almost like magic… the white mask of Tuxedo Mask appeared between his fingers.

A smile crossed both their faces.

"Let's get ready to rumble…" Darien said.


	6. Chapter 5: The Dream Will Never Die

**Chapter 5**

**The Dream Will Never Die**

The way Serena saw things, it had been at least an hour since she and Darien entered the dream. However, she had not seen him since beforehand when they finally figured out how to fight Jedite. Serena looked desperately for her boyfriend, but she saw no sign of him.

And this was the strangest of the dreams yet. The surroundings looked very familiar; in dreams she saw of the Moon Kingdom before she realized that she was the Moon Princess. There was also something about it that reminded her of Crystal Tokyo from the 30th century, at the period of time in which the Dark Moon Family had attacked mercilessly, and Neo-Queen Serenity, Serena's future self, had been in a mindless trance, unable to awaken until the Wiseman/Dark Phantom were defeated.

She walked around the area, trying to get as good an idea as she could as to where she was. She had just walked out of a thick cloud of fog, and approached a steep ledge.

Serena looked over the edge of the floor beneath her, and out between a set of broken pillars lining the edge. Beyond, there lay a massive setting of destroyed buildings. Death, destruction, only two of the many things that lingered here. Serena shuddered at the sight of it.

She saw an old stairway on her left, and cautiously descended from it.

"Darien?" she called.

Her voice echoed throughout the are. Serena looked all around her, for the sound of the unexpected echo caught her off guard. She relaxed as she realized it was only her own voice.

"Darien?" she called again. This time, the echo did not startle her.

Suddenly, a response; a soft, distant-sounding one, but one she was glad to hear.

"Serena?"

Serena's head perked. She knew it couldn't possibly be anyone else but Darien's voice.

"Darien?" she called. "Where are you?"

The echo answered back, "Well, that depends… where are you?"

"I'm, uh… I'm on this big stairway outside the city ruins! Does that help?"

"Serena!" Darien's voice answered back, strangely sounding much closer!

Suddenly, a pair of hands placed themselves, on Serena's shoulders, and she literally jumped up and shrieked in fright. She freed herself of the hands' grip, dashed forward, and whirled around to see who had just grabbed her. Her eyes widened and she gasped as she saw Darien standing there.

"Darien!" she cried, as she ran into his arms. "You don't know how glad I am to see you!"

"Not as glad as I am to see you!" he replied. "I've been wandering aimlessly for the last hour."

She looked away from him and out towards the ruins of the buildings beyond.

"Where are we?" Serena asked. "This place looks familiar."

"I don't know," he answered. "It… it kind of looks like the Moon Kingdom ruins… I remember seeing it once when I was still under Queen Beryl's hypnosis spell."

"Of course…" Serena added. "Setting the battle on familiar ground…"

"And why not?" Jedite's sinister voice jumped in.

Both Serena and Darien whirled around to see the general towering above them, standing on one of the broken pillars. His arms were crossed before him, his black cape flapping in the wind, the silver of his armor reflected the soft light of the sky above, his mouth was creased in a maniacal grin, and his eyes shined with their evil white glow.

"I figured the perfect place to finish off my old nemesis would be where I really did first meet her…" Jedite continued, as he jumped off the pillar, and landed on the top of the stairs, "for if my memories taken in by recent intake of excess energy are accurate, you would in fact be the long lost 'Moon Princess'… which of course proves I have been away for quite a while… which of course you would know… wouldn't you, Sailor Moon?"

With that, Jedite thrust both hands forward, and created a bright burst of light, blinding his two adversaries. They both covered their eyes as the light engulfed them both.

As the light dissipated, Serena looked downwards, for her wardrobe had been drastically altered.

Instead of the white T-shirt and light blue jeans she had worn just moments ago, she was now dressed in what looked like a shrunken school girl uniform, complete with a very short blue skirt. She wore knee-high red boots, and elbow-length white gloves, earrings with a crescent moon shape in them, two pink jewels in her twin odangos, and a golden tiara with a pink gemstone embedded in the center. All that, plus, the Moon Crystal locket decoratively fastened to the middle of the bow on the chest.

Jedite had transformed her into her super-hero alter ego, Sailor Moon.

"Ah, now that's more like it," Jedite commented. "I must admit, you've always looked so much better in your Scout attire than anything else I've seen you wearing."

"Enough with the flattery, Jedite! Let's just get on with it!" Sailor Moon snapped, who then pointed at Darien. "But leave him out of this! He's no concern of yours!"

"True," Jedite said with a shrug, "to my knowledge, your loving boyfriend there has never done anything to me in past events; but I figured it would be an excellent addition of insult to injury if I destroyed him as well!"

"In your dreams!"

Jedite only replied with a maniacal cackle, as his eyes glowed even brighter.

"My dreams are your nightmares!" he said, his voice echoing like a thunder cloud. He raised his hands into the air, and countless streams of white electricity crackled between his armored fingertips and palms.

"Run for it, Darien!" Sailor Moon yelled, as she bolted down the stairs, grabbing him by the arm and taking him with her.

"Darien?" Jedite thought. "Funny… why does that name somehow ring a bell… hmmm… no matter. All the more fun to kill him!"

With that, Jedite threw both hands forward, and released a powerful blast of white energy. The blast followed Sailor Moon and Darien down the stairway, and exploded on the steps right behind them! Darien was sent flying off his feet and rolling down the rest of the stairs. Meanwhile Sailor Moon was knocked off her feet, and sent crashing into a nearby ledge, which she grabbed onto as quickly as she could before she plummeted 100 feet to the ground below.

Sailor Moon struggled hard to pull herself up onto the platform. She rolled up onto her head, and then flipped onto her feet. She whirled around and searched for Darien, who she caught a glimpse of falling to the ground at the bottom of the stairs.

"Darien!" she called. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," he called back, as he got back onto his feet. He then looked past her, pointed upwards and shouted, "Look out!"

Sailor Moon turned her head in the direction he pointed and looked over just in time to see Jedite jump off the top of the stairs and land where she and Darien had just been. He faced Sailor Moon, and with a wild grunt, he whirled his hands around, and jutted his right arm forward, releasing another blast of energy.

Sailor Moon reacted quickly. Seeing the blast coming towards her, she jumped backwards, and performed a rapid series of back handsprings, moving her body towards the edge of the platform. As the blast drew closer, Sailor Moon landed on her feet, and performed a backflip off the platform, just as the energy bolt exploded on the edge. Sailor Moon flipped through the air several times, then landed on her feet on a platform several meters below the one on which she previously stood.

She then turned her back to Jedite, ran to the edge of the platform she now stood on, jumped off, and landed on her feet on the ground below her. Afterwards, she ran over to Darien, and grabbed him by the arm.

"Come on! This way!" she cried.

They would have run off away from Jedite, only after they started, they stopped dead in their tracks as they saw the general standing in their path.

"Sorry," he sneered. "Wrong way on a one way track."

Suddenly, Darien pushed Sailor Moon out of the way, yelled loudly, and attempted to deliver a powerful martial arts kick to the face. Jedite, however, grabbed Darien's leg, and threw him to the side! Darien landed on his back, and rolled over the ground several times before resting on his stomach.

"Darien!" Sailor Moon yelled, rushing over to him.

As she ran towards her boyfriend, Jedite suddenly stepped in her path. Sailor Moon clenched her teeth and glared angrily at him.

"Get out of my way!" she hissed.

"Oooh! Feisty!" Jedite mocked. "I like that in an opponent!"

"I said get out of my way!" Sailor Moon repeated.

"Why don't you make me?" Jedite asked.

Sailor Moon clenched her teeth and glared at him harder, gave a mighty yell, then ran forward, jumped into the air, and tried to attack with a jumping kick. As she flew at Jedite, he simply crossed his arms, and quickly floated upwards, out of the way of the attack. He flew upwards at least 10 feet in the air, as Sailor Moon landed on her feet. She glared up at Jedite once more, then continued running towards Darien.

She finally reached him, grabbed him by the arm, and helped him to his feet.

"All you all right?" she asked.

"Fine," he said. "Let's just keep moving."

They ran off together, with Jedite not too far behind.

"You can't run from me, Sailor Moon!" Jedite yelled. "I am everywhere!"

"Blow it out your rear!" Sailor Moon yelled back. "You call yourself powerful? I've seen more power in a AAA battery! If Queen Beryl were still around, she wouldn't use you to shine her shoes!"

The general's eyes glowed with anger, and he clenched his teeth tightly. He then raised his hands in the air, and shot them forward, releasing yet another white energy bolt.

As the bolt flew towards Sailor Moon and Darien, they stopped and saw it coming.

"Hold on a second!" she said, as she knelt down and tried to grab something on the floor.

"What are you doing?" Darien asked.

"Just… give… me… one… moment…" she said, as she got a hold of the ground and tried to pull up on it.

Meanwhile, the energy bolt was zooming closer and closer.

"Whenever you're ready, Serena…" Darien said, nervously watching the blast.

Finally, with one good, hard pull, Sailor Moon literally ripped off a piece of the floor around them, leaving a gaping hole in it! After throwing the piece to the side, Sailor Moon jumped downward into the hole, while grabbing Darien and taking him with her! They both disappeared into the darkness below, just as the projectile blast reached its destination, and exploded over the opening!

Jedite floated closer as the dust and debris cleared up, but stopped and gasped as the hole Sailor Moon made was no longer there, with no evidence whatsoever that a piece had even been ripped off!

"What the-" he said. "Where did they go?!"

He continued floating forward, past where the explosion took place, and disappeared in a nearby cloud of fog.

**~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM~**

Meanwhile, nearly half a mile away, Sailor Moon and Darien peeked out from behind a broken pillar.

"One question," Darien said. "How…?"

"I remembered that we have the ability to manipulate this place just like he is," Sailor Moon replied. "When that fireball of his started towards us, I did just what I planned to do, and I made ourselves a little trapdoor! Clever, huh?"

"I'll say," Darien said. "But I always hate it when we have to make such close calls like that. Gives me one major headache…"

"I know the feeling," she said.

They stood up and started to turn in the opposite direction, when they suddenly saw Jedite floating twenty feet in front of them, a sinister look on his evil face.

"Oh please!" he spouted. "You didn't really think I'd fall for the old 'make a trap door, disappear, and confuse the enemy' routine, did you? Honestly, Sailor Moon, if you're going to try and fight me, at least come up with something original… something like this!"

Suddenly, he thrust his left arm outward, and shot something from his fingertips. It zoomed at the couple, but missed them by several inches and got stuck in the pillar behind them! They looked to the side and saw a white crossbow arrow sticking out of the marble! It vibrated several times from the impact, then lay still.

The two looked forward again, just in time to see more arrows flying towards them!

"Come on!" Darien said, as he grabbed Sailor Moon by the waist, jumped on top of the pillar, and then leapt off just in time for all thirty arrows to get stuck in the pillar along with the first one! They plummeted about twenty feet, before safely landing on the ground below. Afterwards, they once again ran for their lives.

Jedite soon followed their path. "Run all you like!" Jedite yelled. "It won't matter; soon both of you will join friends in the prison of the DreamScape, forever!"

As he said this, he raised his left arm again, ready to shoot another arrow. He jutted his hand forward, and, as expected threw an arrow, but a much bigger one, that glowed brightly with his evil energy.

As it came closer, Darien stopped, and pushed Sailor Moon out of the way. She stumbled forward, then turned to look back at him.

"Darien, what are you doing?" she cried.

"Use your imagination…" he cryptically replied, as he turned his back to the incoming arrow, while not taking his eyes off it.

Suddenly,a bright red glow emerged from Darien's right hand, and something materialized in its grasp. As the arrow reached the halfway point between him and Jedite, Darien whirled around and threw his right arm around around, tossing a red rose upwards in the sky, right at the arrow's head! The two projectiles made contact, and the rose continued on its path, while the arrow was shattered like a window! The rose continued on its journey like a red torpedo, until it made contact with its second target… Jedite!

The general yelled in pain, as the rose painfully stuck itself in his shoulder! He winced as he pulled it from his skin, and held it in his armored hand. He eyes widened as he saw it.

"A rose?!" he said, as he slowly glared down angrily at Darien, while he stared nonchalantly back up at him.

Jedite's eyes glowed with insanity. "You!" he screamed.

"Me," Darien replied.

Jedite tightly closed his fist around the rose, shredding it to pieces and sending them floating to the ground.

"_I killed you_!" he said.

"You're not the only one to think so, Jedite!" Darien said. "A lot of people made that assumption before I showed them otherwise!"

"Well then," Jedite said, "I was right. There will be a reason to kill you as well!"

With that, Jedite flew downwards at Darien, fists first. Darien leapt out of the way, as Jedite smashed into the ground. Darien turned tail and ran off with Sailor Moon, as Jedite casually walked out of the dust thrown up by the blast.

"Mark my words, Tuxedo Mask!" he called. "I will kill you again! You, and your little Sailor Scout too!"

**~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM****~SM~**

"Nice move back there," Sailor Moon commented.

"You weren't so bad yourself," Darien replied.

The two walked into the castle ruins, huffing and puffing, for the chase had left them rather exhausted, They found a place to sit and rest, and so they did. As Sailor Moon sat down she winced as she felt some slight pain.

"You okay?" Darien asked.

"Fine, I guess," she answered. "I suppose that first hit took a little more out of me than I thought; I'm surprised I didn't feel it when I pulled up that piece of the floor."

"Getting chased by that psychopath kind of makes you forget about the pain."

"Yeah, really."

Sailor Moon looked around the surroundings, and realized just how familiar all of it looked. They sat in what looked like the remnants of a garden, and above them was a large balcony, part of which was completely crumbled away from Queen Beryl's onslaught so many years ago. Sailor Moon smiled as memories flooded her mind.

"I remember this place," she said.

"You do?"

"Yes," she continued. "I remember how every night, I would stand on that balcony and wait for you, my beloved prince, to come, and every night you would. We would tell one another just how much we loved each other…" She giggled a little. "And then the palace guards would chase you away because they thought you were a spy! Ha!"

Darien chuckled. "Oh, yeah…" he said. "That does have a familiar ring to it."

Sailor Moon smiled more and laid her head against his shoulder. "And," she said, "if memory serves me correctly… this is where you asked me to marry you… before Beryl showed up and ruined the whole thing…"

"And if memory serves correctly," Darien replied, taking her hand into his, "you accepted my proposal."

"And I still would…" she said, as the couple's lips drew closer and closer together.

Their lips would have touched, except the sudden sound of a distant explosion caught them off guard. They looked away from each other and in the direction the sound seemed to come, then stood up.

"We should get inside," Darien suggested. "That may give us some shelter from him for at least a little while."

Still holding hands, the two raced into the nearest door, out of sight from anyone outside the building. They ran through several hallways, until the sounds of the explosions could not be heard.

"How long do you think we'll be safe in here?" Sailor Moon asked.

"Not too long," Darien answered, "but hopefully long enough to get some of our strength back. Jedite made be an idiot, but he's an idiot with enough power to blow away an entire army of tanks!"

"Too true."

The two slowed their pace, and walked together through the palace of Queen Serenity. They made their way through old banquet halls, guest rooms, and other areas where surely lots of people would be had the kingdom not died, hoping Jedite would not find them anytime soon. And they stayed there for at least an hour, with no sign of the general.

Finally, they found a room that both of them could say they knew well. If anything, this was the royal bedroom of Princess Serena.

"You wouldn't know from the way it looks, would you?" Sailor Moon asked.

"Not if I hadn't seen it before," he said.

In front of an open window, there stood the remnants of a large bed, with white curtains surrounding it, shredded to pieces from age, as with the rest of the world around them.

Sailor Moon sat down on on the bed, and ran her hand over the soft sheets, that is, what was left of them. She smiled.

"They still feel the same… even after 1,000 years," she said.

Darien sat down beside her, and she scooted over closer to him. They put their arms around each other, and sat quietly, waiting for the next sign that they would have to leave.

"At least we're alone," she said, as a tear rolled down her face.

Darien saw the light reflect off the tear, turned to her with a curious look, and asked, "What's wrong?"

"I'm scared," she said, as more tears emerged. "I'm scared for my life! Here I am, in the ruins of my former home, and I don't even know if I'll ever get out of here alive."

"We will get out of here," Darien reassured her. "And we will break the spell Jedite has over our friends. And I swear to you, Serena, if Jedite so much as touches you, I'll have his head on a silver platter! I won't let him hurt you."

"You've said it all before…"

"And I meant it all before," he continued. "Like I mean it now."

The tears stopped, and she looked up into his eyes. He smiled at her.

"I promised a long time ago," Darien said, "that I would protect you at all costs… and I intend to keep that promise for as long as I live."

"Well, wouldn't now be a perfect time to test that promise?" Jedite's voice intervened.

Both of them whirled around and looked at the window, and got up and backed away as Jedite came floating in.

"And as far as the 'as long as I live' thing goes," he continued, "You will keep it up… because you've protected her so far, and you're not going to live that much longer anyway!"

Darien as Sailor Moon ran out of the room, just as another energy blast turned the doorway into a pile of charred rubble. The were knocked to the floor from the explosion, but soon got back on their feet and kept running, as Jedite came in through the hole in the wall, and continued floating in their direction.

"Ah, such familiar ground," he said. "Brings back memories of death and destruction, doesn't it?"

Before leaving the room, Darien stopped for a moment, grabbed a nearby chair (surprisingly, one that was completely intact), and hurled it at Jedite! Jedite slashed the back of his fist through the air in front of him, smashing the chair to pieces. He then continued on his way as Darien and Sailor Moon bolted out the door.

"That was rather desperate," Jedite taunted. "Sure you're not losing your touch, Tuxxy?"

The two ran through the rooms of the palace again, the exact same way they came. Finally, Jedite cut them off in a particularly large hallway, by simply floating downward to block their path.

"You're still trying to win?" he asked. As he raised his hands, he sent currents of white electricity through them.

Sailor Moon looked all around for something to attack with, and finally saw an object that might slow down her adversary. High above his head, on the ceiling, hung a diamond chandelier, looking like it was ready to fall. She narrowed her vision on this for a moment, concentrating as hard as she could.

Finally, with a burst of light, the chain holding up the chandelier broke, and it came falling down, headed straight for Jedite! The general looked up just in time, and covered his head as it came crashing down upon him!

"Let's move!" Sailor Moon cried, running over the mess of crystal and Jedite, headed down the hallway.

Darien followed close behind, but was stopped when Jedite emerged from the mess and stood up, sort of hunched over, weakened from the chandelier unexpectedly falling on his head.

"No escape!" he said.

"Yeah, right!" Darien replied.

He ran forward, stepped up on Jedite's front knee, walked over hisshoulders, and completely went over his body, meanwhile taking the opportunity to kick him in the back of the head! Jedite stumbled forward and fell onto his stomach, while Darien landed on his feet and followed Sailor Moon down the hall.

They ran outside, and looked for a place to run to, but everywhere they turned, there was some large piece of debris blocking their path.

"Guess we'll just have to go over it then!" Darien said, as he ran towards one of the larger pieces of rock. As he approached it, he jumped into the air, flipped over it, and landing safely on his feet on the other side.

"Hey, not like I haven't done this before," Sailor Moon said to herself.

Suddenly, she looked behind her, and Jedite was quickly coming towards her. Shethen ran forward at full speed, and jumped high into the air, almost flying over the the debris. Jedite followed her, and tried to quickly fly up over the debris, and catch Sailor Moon before she landed.

However, just as she flew completely over the debris, Sailor Moon concentrated once again, and a most unexpected thing happened. The ground shook slightly, and as Jedite came up to the top of the blockage, a long line of razor-sharp stone spikes sprouted from it, blocking Jedite's path! Jedite came to screeching halt, just in time to avoid getting one nasty scratch, and floated in mid-air.

Meanwhile, Sailor Moon landed on the ground, and she and Darien ran off again.

Angrily, Jedite grabbed one of the spikes, effortlessly broke it from its foundation, and hurled it at his enemies like a spear! The spike whirled through the air, and landed point-first into the ground in front of the two. They stopped in time to avoid getting spiked themselves.

They tried running in several different directions, but each time another spike blocked their path, until they were completely surrounded. They were caged.

Jedite floated, landed on the ground below, and, with an evil laugh, slowly walked towards them.

"This time, there is no escape…" he said.

"The combined words 'no escape' aren't in my vocabulary, Jedite!" Sailor Moon said, as she jumped into the air in an attempt to get over the side of the "cage". Unfortunately, as she made her way over the spike in the ground, the entire cage lining was lit up with white electricity, and Sailor Moon was caught in the middle of it!

With a scream of pain, she was thrown back to the floor with a plop. Darien rushed over and helped her up.

"Serena!" he cried. "Are you all right?"

"Remind me never to do that again," she said wearily.

"As you can plainly see," Jedite said, as he walked forward, "I can play the same little game you are. Not only that, I know how to play better. So it's quite obvious, there is no escaping me."

He raised his right hand forward, crackling with evil energy. Jedite's eyes suddenly made a bright red glow, and he sent a massive bolt of energy forward! Darien and Sailor Moon could only watch in horror as the projectile sped towards them, for it seemed like he was right.

Suddenly, from what seemed like out of nowhere, a white object flew in from the sky, met the fireball in mid-flight, and completely dissolved it before it reached the cage! A bright burst of light emerged, and as it dimmed, all three of them looked to the area of the explosion, to see what caused the projectile's destruction.

Sailor Moon gasped as she saw a white rose, stuck stem-first into the ground.

Jedite narrowed his eyes in anger, and looked up in the direction from where the rose came. Sailor Moon and Darien did the same.

High atop the tip of a white tower, a tall figure stood with his back to the figure of the earth in the sky, leaving visible nothing but a black shadow. But from that shadow, one could see a cape flapping in the wind, a turban over his head, and a long, curved sword on his side.

Darien and Jedite were left to wonder, but from the white rose alone, Sailor Moon knew exactly who this new stranger was.

Suddenly, a familiar, echoing voice came from the hidden figure atop the tower:

"Even on the ruins of this once magnificent kingdom," the voice said, "the light of the planet Earth overhead gives it an almost beautiful feel. Pity how an evil like yours can contaminate it as you have…"

"That…" Darien said, "that's… my voice!"

"Infidel!" Jedite screamed. "How dare you interfere! Show yourself!"

With that, the figure jumped from the tower, flew through the air, and landed on his feet on a lower platform below. However, his body was still hidden in the blackness of the shadows. The figure then slowly walked outward and revealed himself.

He looked like an Arabian knight, that anyone could say. He was dressed in all white, from his shirt and pants, to his cloak, to the turban on his head, to his boots, and even the mask covering the lower half of his face. Several strands of coal black hair peeked out from under his turban, and below that, a pair of dark, dark blue eyes.

"Who in blazes are you?!" Jedite hissed.

"I am called…" the figure said, "the Moonlight Knight."

Sailor Moon smiled with delight. She knew she recognized that white rose.

"I don't really care who or what you are," Jedite said, "but you've crossed me for the first and last time!"

Jedite shot his hands out, releasing two white fireballs. As the zoomed forward, Moonlight Knight threw his right hand around, throwing two more of his white roses. The two of them met the two fireballs in mid-air, and both fireballs were dissolved, just like the first one. Meanwhile, the roses continued their flight, and stuck themselves in Jedite's arms!

Jedite grunted in pain again, and fell to his knees.

The Moonlight Knight then jumped down from the platform, and landed on the ground below. While Jedite fell in pain, the Knight walked over to the spiked cage in which Darien and Sailor Moon were trapped. He drew his sword, the light reflecting off it like a mirror.

"Stand back," he ordered.

The two did as he said. Then, with two powerful slashes, Moonlight Knight cut at the stone spikes. Then, as he put his weapon back, the spikes at which he slashed crumbled and fell apart, turning into a pile of debris on the ground, and opening up the cage for its two captives to escape.

"Come with me," the Knight said. "I know of a place to hide."

He turned in another direction, and ran off, with Darien and Sailor Moon not far behind.

Jedite angrily removed both white roses from his arms, and watched as his enemies, along with their new ally, ran off into the darkness. His eyes glowed their evil white glow, and his armored hands crackled with white electricity.

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~**

"I don't understand it," Sailor Moon said. "How can you be here?"

The Moonlight Knight, who stood on the edge of the rooftop looking out upon the kingdom ruins, turned his head towards the Scout of the Moon, and the Prince of Earth, the back of his turban and his white cape flapping in the wind. He said nothing to either of them, and turned his back outward.

"You didn't answer my question," Sailor Moon persisted.

"Answer her, pal," Darien said.

"After the final battle with Alan and Ann," he Knight said, not looking back again, "I was forced to return to Darien's body, for the battle had severely weakened his body, and thus wasn't strong enough to support my existence any longer. Since then, thought I have not been able to exist on the physical plane, I have always still been a part of Darien's consciousness, while making my home here, in the DreamScape."

Sailor Moon had to agree, though not an expert on the DreamScape, it did make sense.

"Here, I used the mentally-controlled sorcery of the world around me to make my own environment…" he continued, "a place I could truly call home. And so I lived here, with few distractions or disturbances."

"So how are you here now?" Darien asked.

"Several days ago," the Knight said, "I could feel a strange abnormality within the DreamScape; something that was just out of the ordinary. I tried to investigate the matter, but the fact that I was still a part of your mind limited me to only my specific region, so I was unable to find out what was happening."

"And…?"

"In an attempt to find out what was happening, I went to the outer areas of Darien's mind, so that I could see into the outside physical world. There, I watched as Queen Serenity explained how your friends had been attacked through the DreamScape. Since all the other Sailor Scouts had been neutralized, it was a rational conclusion that you and Darien were next, being the last remaining members of the protectors of Earth, and the first to ever give Jedite trouble. Since the attack would be in Darien's mind as well as yours, Sailor Moon, I have come to offer my help in defeating this menace. And just in time, it would seem…"

"Do you know where Jedite is now?" Darien asked.

"Still searching for us, I would suppose," the Knight answered, as he turned around and started away from the ledge. "He's particularly angry because of your rescue, and the fact that he now has me to deal with. But it's rather unlikely he will find us for quite a while; the area is miles wide, and we are far from where we last left him."

"That doesn't mean he won't find us at all," Sailor Moon said.

"True, Jedite will persist," Moonlight Knight replied, "but as long as we keep moving, that won't be easy for him. I will take you to my hideout, on the other side of those mountains up north of here. Jedite does not even know of its existence, let alone look there for us."

"Over the mountains?" Darien asked. "There no way we can get there from here without Jedite knowing about it!"

"You forget, Darien," the Knight said, "here, anything can be done. Follow me if you will."

Moonlight Knight continued walking away from the ledge, motioning for Darien and Sailor Moon to follow. With a shrug to her boyfriend, Sailor Moon got up from her seat and followed the mysterious incarnation of Tuxedo Mask in his path. Realizing there wasn't any other choice, Darien shook his head in disgust and followed them both.

And as the three of them walked up the hill towards the mountains in the distance, the environment all around slowly began undergoing some unusual… changes.

As they walked, the ground, the air, everything around them except themselves began rippling and morphing, as if all of it were made of water, or some other liquid material of the sort. The change in environment progressed more and more, until the colors, shapes, and objects that previously surrounded them changed as well, noticeable as it was, even with the distortion of everything around them.

Then, as they continued walking forward despite the strange changes, the area began to take shape again; however, it was not their previous surroundings. Instead the area began to take the shape of a seaside mountain range, with a gigantic cave on the shoreline.

What was formerly brown, dead grass beneath their feet, turned into white-yellow sand, some of it soaked by the washing tide. Beyond the sand, the form of the giant cave took on an almost frightening one; it towered at least fifty feet in the air, and the mouth of it looked as if it formed the mouth of someone's face, for the indentations in the front of the cave above the mouth gave it the look of the eye sockets and nose of a skull. On either side of the cave and the mountains beyond it, a field of long, green grass grew, and several palm trees lined the area. The sky was a medium blue, with stars illuminating it throughout its massive expanse. As a final touch, in place of the planet Earth, a large, white moon hovered above it all, shining like a magnificent fluorescent light. The rippling in the land and air slowed down, until it stopped completely, leaving everything to be seen in all its glory.

From all these changes in the environment, anyone watching them would never have thought that this magnificent land lied just beyond the ruins of the Moon Kingdom.

Sailor Moon and Darien stopped in their tracks and stared in awe at the sight of the skull cave alone, as the Moonlight Knight continued walking in his trail. He walked up a set of stone stairs leading to the mouth of the cave. Before he entered, he stared down on the couple still standing on the beach.

"Welcome…" he said, "to the Lair of the Knight."

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~**

Now Jedite was angry.

He had had problems with the Sailor Scouts before, ruining his plans of Earth's domination, schemes of collecting human energy, and attempts at destroying them; all of which failed miserably, which, unfortunately for him, resulted in his banishment from the NegaVerse via Eternal Sleep.

But now, now he was really not in a good mood. He had set the perfect plan, a deathtrap through a subconscious realm of dreams, with no way of escape for even those who knew the way.

Unfortunately, it seemed his long-time nemesis, Sailor Moon, was once again succeeding in ruining his plan, having escaped several attempts on her life, and on that of his other old enemy, Tuxedo Mask. But the sudden appearance of the one calling himself the Moonlight Knight… complicated things.

"Where are they?!" he growled to himself.

Jedite walked down a wide path through the kingdom ruins, using his awesome powers to destroy anything he wanted.

He threw his left hand out to the side, and a large building he pointed his fingers at was instantly blown to pieces, as if hit by an oncoming shockwave! The rubble flew backwards, and the building was gone, leaving only a few remnants of its foundations. Jedite lowered his arm, and continued walking.

"They couldn't have gotten that far," he said, "but where did they go?!"

He threw out his right arm, pointing at another old building, which, just like the first, was completely blown up! The pieces were sent scattering around, some of them on fire, others incinerated before they could even catch fire!

"This is getting tiresome, Sailor Moon!" Jedite yelled. "Show yourself!"

The only response was the echo of his own voice. Jedite's eyes narrowed, and he continued walking.

"Huh!" he snorted. "Like I seriously expected her to answer!"

Suddenly, he stopped in his tracks, as his senses picked up something out of the ordinary.

"What?" he said to himself. "Something… in the distance?"

Jedite's eyes glowed with a curious stare, as he turned his head to the side, looking towards a mountainous region beyond the limits of the kingdom ruins. He then ran forward and jumped into the sky, landing on the roof of a nearby building (one which he surprisingly hadn't obliterated), and looked out in the direction of the distance mountains.

He stared outward though the night sky, at one particular area in the far boundaries of the ruins.

He stared harder, and he noticed something irregular. Though it was too far away to see clearly, Jedite knew it was not supposed to be there.

There, on the last platform, Jedite could see a sort of… ripple… in the area; it was nothing much, only enough to surround three people, at least as he could estimate from where he stood.

As he looked harder, he could swear he could make out three distinct objects entering the ripple just before disappearing amidst its distortion. Then, several seconds after all three vanished from sight, the ripple shrank, and turned back into the normal area it once was.

Jedite raised one eyebrow, pondering what he's just seen.

"How very interesting…" he thought.

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~**

The cave was massive, and quite ominous-looking from the inside, but the eternally-burning candles set up around the perimeter made it look much less threatening. However, the tall, brown, carved statues of various warriors sort of equaled things out. Sailor Moon sat cuddled up in the corner of the cave, with Darien right next to her, his arms wrapped around her waist.

The Moonlight Knight, with turban, mask, and cape removed, walked in through a tunnel opening and into the "room". He stopped as he saw the couple in the corner.

"Too cold in here?" he inquired.

Both of them looked up at him.

"No," Sailor Moon replied. "We're… just still a little frightened, I guess."

"Quite understandable," Knight replied, as he walked in further. "A force like Jedite is certainly one to be reckoned with."

"Knight," said Darien, "do you have any idea how to defeat him."

"I wish I could say," he answered, "but I'm afraid I know only as much as you do in the matter. For now, all I know is, we must fight as long as possible; and then, we figure out how his defeat shall come about."

Darien frowned, for that was what he was telling himself for the last several days.

Knight walked over to a stone table in the middle of the room. There, a teapot and three cups sat. Knight picked up the pot, and poured tea into all three cups. He picked up two of them and walked over to Sailor Moon and Darien. He held them both out, expecting them to take them.

"Here," he said. "This will help regain some of your strength for future fights."

Both took the cups and drank the tea. Sailor Moon definitely felt a small ounce of her strength coming back to her, bruises taken in from the battle with Jedite were disappearing, and her sore spots were dissolving as well.

"It may take a while for its full effect to kick in," the Knight said with a smile, "but it will help you recover."

"Thank you," Sailor Moon said.

The Knight turned and took his own cup, and as well drank the tea within.

"How long have you had all this?" Darien asked. "The cave, the beach, the whole thing…?"

"It took me about a year to realize that I could control my surroundings," he replied, "and turn it into whatever I see fit. One, maybe two years at the most. So I'd say I've lived in the Knight's Lair for at least 8 years… and it seems like so long ago when I had to come here…"

"Why just this?" Darien continued. "You could have asked for so much more."

"I know," Knight said. "But I am and have always been a man of simple tastes. The world around me is paradise, but this cave… that's all I've ever needed or wanted. We may have the same face, Darien, and the same drive to protect that which is good, but as you can plainly see, we truly are two very different people."

"And I wouldn't have it any other way," Sailor Moon whispered to Darien, a smile on her face.

Darien smiled back at her, and held her hand a little tighter.

"How long will we be safe here?" Sailor Moon asked the Knight.

"Long enough," he answered. "It has already been a hard battle, and you must get some rest before facing Jedite again. He doesn't know of this place yet; it will be a while before he does…"

Suddenly, their conversation was interrupted by the sound of a loud explosion outside the cave. Darien and Sailor Moon both got up and looked around frantically, while the Moonlight Knight looked up towards the ceiling, as his fist curled around the handle of his sword.

"Please tell me that was just a sonic boom…" Sailor Moon pleaded.

"Doubtful…" Knight said, as he rushed towards the exit.

"Wait!" Darien shouted, running after him. "Where are you going?"

"Darien!" Sailor Moon called out. "Wait!"

All three ran outside, and the Knight watched in horror, as massive bolts of energy rained from the skies, smashing the mountains, kicking up clouds of sand, and setting the trees and grass on fire!

Then came Jedite's maniacal laughter, raining from above right after the energy bolts. All three of them looked upwards, and saw the general, floating in the sky over the skull cave.

"You didn't think you could hide from me forever, did you?" he asked. "I must say, that was a pathetic, and not to mention idiotic assumption on your parts. Of course now… What the-?"

He stopped as he saw the Moonlight Knight, as his mask and turban were gone. Jedite's eyes shifted back and forth between him and Darien.

"Am I seeing things?" he asked. "I'd swear I'm looking at two of you!"

Darien and Knight looked at one another, and realized what he was talking about. As far as exterior looks went, the two were identical in every way.

"Exactly who are you?" Jedite demanded.

"I am the Moonlight Knight," he replied defiantly, "the second incarnation of Tuxedo Mask, and fellow protector of that which is just."

'With all that brain food you just took in," Darien called out, "one would think you's know that already; about him, and me."

"The information had a few holes in it," Jedite said with a shrug. "So sue me."

"How did you find us here?" Sailor Moon demanded.

"While brooding over your escape," the general returned, "I saw a strange dimensional ripple in the fabric of the DreamScape; once I surmised it had been used to transport to a different area of the realm. I figured YOU three had used it. So as you can see, I am indeed as good a detective as I am a supreme warrior!"

"The only thing about you that's supreme is your sense of excessive arrogance, Jedite!" Knight taunted. "If you should have learned anything by now, it's that good shall always triumph over an evil like yours! Don't you think that in the last 10 years, the Sailor Scouts faced forces even more, as you put it, 'supreme' than you?"

Jedite cocked his head to the side and shrugged. "It did happen to cross my mind," he said, "but after my massive energy intake, I find it highly doubtful. As should you."

As soon as he finished speaking, he shot his right hand forward, and sent a bolt of energy spiraling at the Knight, hitting him square in the chest, and sending him flying backwards, right into the trunk of a tree!

"Moonlight Knight!" Sailor Moon cried, as she and Darien rushed to his side.

"Oh come on!" Jedite sneered. "That was the easiest attack to dodge. I can't believe you failed to avoid it!"

As Darien and Sailor Moon helped him to his feet, Moonlight Knight clenched his teeth and ran forward. He then jumped into the air, and tried to attack Jedite in mid-flight. However, Jedite simply vanished, and reappeared on the other side. While still in mid-air, the Knight whirled around and kicked at him. But, Jedite again vanished and reappeared on another side of Knight's position. Knight attacked again and again, but still Jedite avoided his onslaught, until the Knight landed on the ground, and Jedite simply floated in the air above.

"Is that your best?" the general asked.

"You haven't seen anything yet!" the Knight replied.

"Oh, really?" Jedite said, as he outstretched his right arm. A bright black light flashed forth, and as it dimmed, a long sword appeared in his hand.

Moonlight Knight narrowed his eyes on him. "So," he said, "you want a little sword play, do you?" He reached to his belt, drew his curved sword from its sheath, and brought the sharp edge of it to his eye, so that the light brightly shined off of it, and a reflection of Jedite was cast in the silver. "I can deal with that."

"No!" Sailor Moon cried from down below. "Without a weapon, he's bad, but with a sword, you can't possibly take him on!"

"You be quiet!" Jedite yelled. He turned in her direction, shot out his left hand, and sent a bolt of light at her. The blast hit her right in the chest, sending her flying backwards. As she flew, her speed slowed , and was soon floating in mid-air, while around her, a purple-tinged crystal casing surrounded her. She was trapped there, in the position her body was in when the blast hit her, complete with the look of sudden shock on the face as she screamed.

"Serena!" Darien cried, running over to her. He looked into the crystal, directly at Sailor Moon's wide-open blue eyes. He pounded his fist on the face of the prison, trying to break her free, but to no avail.

Jedite gradually floated downward, until his feet landed on the top of the cave, on the same level as the Moonlight Knight.

"Let's dance…" the general said, his eyes glowing.

Knight clenched his teeth, grunted loudly, and ran straight at him. When he got within five feet of his opponent, he swung his sword. Clash! The two swords met as Jedite blocked with his blade. Knight swung several more times, with each attack being blocked by Jedite. Finally, Jedite retaliated with his own series of attacks, with the Knight blocking with his weapon.

The two combatants attacked each other with their mighty blades, each blocked attempt resulting in a loud clash of metal, and fireworks display of fiery sparks erupting from the impact. Knight attacked furiously, with Jedite calmly blocking. Likewise, Jedite attacked with the finesse of a French swordsman, and the Moonlight Knight blocking just in the nick of time, in some cases, the blade cutting a little too close.

The swords went back and forth like a pair of ping-pong balls. Knight slashed. Blocked. Jedite attacked twice. Blocked. Knight slashed again. Blocked. Jedite slashed his blade three times. Blocked. He whirled around and slashed at Knight's stomach. Knight dodged backwards as the blade went past him. Knight whirled his sword in the air, and slashed twice. Blocked. Jedite attacked again. Blocked. Knight slashed again at Jedite's head. Jedite ducked under the attack, and swung his blade around. Knight jumped and rolled backwards to avoid the attack, and knelt downwards, huffing and puffing, while Jedite stood ten feet away, looking as if he hadn't even entered the fight yet.

"Oh, please," Jedite taunted. "You can't honestly tell me you're already getting tired! We've only just begun."

Jedite whipped out the tip of his sword, and pointed it right at the Knight. Black electricity flowed through the metal, and suddenly a black spark of energy was shot forth from it! The Knight looked up just in time to see it, and jumped out of the way as it flew past him. He jumped right off the top of the cave, and acrobatically flipped through the air, landing on his feet on the beach sand below.

Knight looked up and scowled at Jedite, then turned away and started towards Darien, who was still trying as he could to free Sailor Moon of the crystal chamber.

However, his path was immediately blocked as Jedite flew down in front of him, and instantly threw a punch to the face.

Moonlight Knight stumbled backwards from the surprise attack, but soon shook it off and faced his adversary once more. As he did, he saw the blade of Jedite's sword hurtling towards him, but he quickly blocked with his own weapon.

And so the sword fight continued. Knight slashed at Jedite three times. Blocked. Jedite returned with several slashes. Blocked and dodged. The swords and their bearers went back and forth across the beach as they fought, each trying their best to defeat the other, but the other quickly diverting their attempts.

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~**

Darien still fought to free Sailor Moon of the prison set around her by Jedite's evil magic. He pounded on it with his balled fist fists as hard as he could, but still nothing would break.

Finally, he backed away from the crystal surface to a distance of about ten feet. Then, Darien ran and jumped forward, extending his leg in a jump-kick, hoping to break the prison through other means. Unfortunately, as soon as his the sole of his shoe touched the purple crystal, a bright burst of light emerged from the entire prison, and Darien was sent flying backwards, hitting his back on the side of the skull cave. He fell to the ground in pain, and rolled over on to his his back. He soon recovered from the shock, and, despite the pain, got to his feet and looked up at the prison his lover was imprisoned in.

"Okay…" he said, "I'll have to find some other way to get you out of there…"

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~**

Meanwhile, the sword fight was starting to go in Jedite's favor. As he attacked, the Moonlight Knight, weakened from fatigue, was forced further and further backwards as he blocked attack after attack, moving up a hillside towards the top of the cave. Finally, he lost concentration for a split second, Jedite whipped his blade around, and made a cut across the Knight's right shoulder!

Moonlight Knight screamed out in pain and stumbled backwards, hitting the trunk of a tree, and fell to the ground. He clutched his shoulder, and a thick, red liquid trickled downward, staining his white costume. Meanwhile, Jedite stood over him triumphantly, laughing his maniacal cackle.

"What's the matter, Knight?" he asked. "Losing your touch? What a pity; I would have expected more of a challenge from an incarnation of Tuxedo Mask! But then again, I suppose you're simply nothing more than a cheap imitation!"

"This isn't over yet, demon!" the Knight cursed, slowly attempting to get to his feet, his body trembling furiously. "I still have plenty of fight left in me…"

"Is that so?" Jedite answered. "An interesting, if stupid thing to say; especially since you're the grounded one, desperately trying to get to your feet again. From these observations, it's rather more accurate to say I am the one with plenty of fight left."

Disregarding the general's insults, the Knight got to one knee, still clutching his bleeding shoulder, closed his eyes, and concentrated hard on healing the wound, using the mental abilities of the DreamScape to do so. However, the only result was a sizzling array of electricity emanating from the wound, and more pain sent through his body, while Jedite laughed even more.

"I see you've just found the one drawback to the DreamScape's powers," he said, pointing the tip of his sword at the Knight. "It seems they work erratically when used to heal wounds of the flesh, and that includes when you yourself are severely injured. And considering my weapon carries a lethal dosage of my evil energy, that cut on your arm can be considered as such."

The Knight only glared angrily at him with half-shut eyes and tighty-clenched teeth.

"Not to gloat or anything," Jedite finished, "but to put it in simplest terms, I got you pretty bad."

"Are you going to stand there yacking all day, or fight me?" Knight demanded.

Jedite grinned, and stroked his chin in curiosity. "Hmmm…" he said. "Perhaps you do have more fight left in you than I thought… no matter… I have a way to fix that!"

With that, Jedite raised his sword and leapt into the air, then headed right in Knight's direction. Ignoring the pain in his body, Knight lifted his sword up, just as Jedite landed in front of him and threw his weapon downward, as if trying to slice him in two. The swords met, and a mighty clang erupted. Jedite tried to force his sword downward upon the Knight, who in contrast forced his sword upwards with equal pressure, so that sword moved neither up nor down.

It looked bad for the Moonlight Knight. He knew he couldn't keep his guard up for much longer. Acting on instinct, he looked upwards for a moment, towards the top of the tree he was leaned against. Below the burnt and withered leaves, there hung one single, solitary coconut, that looked ready to fall at any moment. It looked promising.

Not taking his eyes off of Jedite, therefore not revealing his plans, he concentrated, making the tree shake slightly. The coconut above shook as well, and then snapped from the stem holding it up.

Hearing the snap, through it was soft among the noise around it, Jedite looked up curiously as the coconut fell…

Clunk! "Ow!"

and hit him right between the eyes!

Jedite lost both his focus on the Knight, and the grip on his sword, and rubbed his throbbing forehead, growling from the pain. Seeing the opportunity, Knight kicked both feet forward, and hit Jedite in the stomach. Jedite fell backwards, but quickly made it to his feet, and looked up in time to see Knight's blade coming right at him! The general dodged the attack, and dodged backwards as others were made.

"What is it with you people and making things fall on my head?!" Jedite growled. "First a chandelier, now a coconut? You've practically thrown everything at me except the kitchen si-… never mind. I don't want to give you any ideas…"

Moonlight Knight slashed his sword around multiple times, aiming at Jedite's head, chest, and neck. But Jedite ducked, dodged, and jumped over each attack. Finally, he rolled out of the way of one, threw his hand outward, and his sword literally flew into his grip. As the Knight turned and slashed, Jedite turned to him and blocked. The sword fight continued.

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~**

Darien was at a loss. He tried hitting it, he tried kicking it, he even tried throwing rocks at it, but the crystal shell would not break. Sailor Moon was still trapped inside, with the same position of her body, with the same expression on her face.

Finally…

"Wait a minute!" he said. "I got it!"

Darien closed his eyes and concentrated. Suddenly, a bright flash of light came forth, and as it dimmed, Darien held a long, metal sledgehammer in his hands. He turned back to the crystal, took a mighty swing, and…

Bang! Crunch!

The head of the hammer, along with half the handle, shattered from the impact like glass; and to add to it all, not a single dent was made in the shell.

"Danm it," he said. "I'll have to try something else…"

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~**

"You can't beat me," Jedite taunted. "You'll never beat me!"

"Shut up and fight!"

The swords clashed together countless times, and the fighters went back and forth various distances from where they stood. Both of their weapons had started to form knicks and dents, showing massive wear and tear. Jedite attacked with a rapid series of slashes, with the Moonlight Knight blocking each one. The swords met between them, and Jedite delivered a kick to the stomach. Knight stumbled backwards, but soon recovered, and slashed. Blocked. Jedite then delivered a punch to the face. Knight was sent backwards again, but again recovered quickly. The swords met again, and again, and again. The attacks from both fighters came quicker and quicker, until no more than a tenth of a second went by when one fighter would block the other's attack.

Finally, Jedite whirled to his left and threw his sword upwards, and knocked Knight's sword out from in between them. Then, as quick as lightning, he whirled around in the other direction, and delivered a powerful kick to the side of the Knight's right knee!

A loud crunch was heard, and Knight howled in pain as he fell to the ground, for his knee had just been dislocated. He rolled over several times, then rested on his back, clutching his knee with one hand, while still holding his sword with the other, his face distorted as the pain ran through his system.

"The game is mine, it seems," Jedite said.

"It would seem," Knight replied, "but if it's one thing I know a little about, it's self-healing!"

With that, Knight got a tight grip on his knee, and twisted it outward! Another painful-sounding crunch was heard, and he moved his leg around, having relocated the joint. He then slowly got back onto his feet, and faced his enemy once more, with a slight limp from the injury.

Jedite couldn't help but be amazed.

"Impressive," Jedite sarcastically stated. "I hope you know how to do that for every bone in your body, especially when I break each and every one of them!"

Jedite ran forward and slashed. The fight resumed.

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~**

Darien was running out of ideas. He had tried swords, axes, battering rams, various really-sharp objects, and jackhammer after jackhammer after jackhammer. Still, not a single hairline crack was made in the shell surrounding Sailor Moon. Darien was reduced to ramming it head-on with his shoulder.

"Umph! Ow! Grrrr… Umph! Ow! Grrrr…"

These sounds were constantly escaping Darien's lips, as he tried again and again to break the prison around his lady love. And after each attempt, he was still no closer to freeing her.

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~**

Knight was really starting to tire, for after every attack, he would be seen huffing and puffing, as if his lungs were about to fall apart, while Jedite stood calmly opposite him, looking as if he'd only started the battle moments ago.

"You're looking a little sluggish, Knight," Jedite said, smiling maliciously.

"I'm… not finished… yet…" he replied through heavy breaths.

Jedite simply smiled even more, then ran forward and slashed his sword. Blocked. Knight slashed with his weapon several times, but Jedite blocked each one. The two exchanged blows, back and forth, like clockwork. Then the general began an endless barrage of attacks, with the Moonlight Knight blocking and dodging, while being forced back further and further.

Finally, Jedite attempted an overhead slash, but the Knight blocked, and the two weapons were held in place. Jedite forced his sword downward, while Knight kept his sword horizontally in front of his body.

After a few moments, Knight whirled around and released both weapons from their lock-in, but after he turned, they were now locked together over both their heads, while the two swordsmen were staring each other in the face, so close they could smell each other's bad breath.

"Not so sluggish now, am I?" Knight said.

"Don't hold your breath," Jedite sneered. "This fight is still mine."

"What makes you say that?"

Jedite grinned, as his eyes suddenly started glowing. "Let's just say…" he answered, "that I've got my… sight's… set on a specific outcome!"

Knight's eyes widened with shock as he saw the glow. Suddenly, a pair of thick white beams of energy shot forth from both the general's eyes, hitting the Knight right in the face, and knocking him onto his back!

Knight wearily got to his feet, his body shaking like a human earthquake, and rubbing his eyes from the bright blast shot right into his retinas. He squinted up at Jedite, who stood up straight, one arm at his side holding his sword, the other placed on his waist.

The Moonlight Knight yelled furiously, and ran at him, but Jedite's eyes glowed once again, and another two shots of energy were fired, hitting Knight in the chest, and once again sending him onto his back.

Jedite's maniacal laughter was all Knight heard as he tried to get up again. His body shook even more, and he found it even harder to even get to his hands and knees.

"Now it would seem you are the sluggish one," Jedite said.

Knight realized he was in over his head.

"Have to… get away…" he thought, "must… help… the Moon Princess…"

He finally got to his feet and tried to walk away, only to have another shot hit him in his stomach, yelling in pain. Knight fell again, as Jedite started walking towards him.

"Don't tell me…" said Jedite. "You're trying to get away from the fight for a moment to save your friend Sailor Moon from my little crystal shielding, right? Well forget it! Only one of us will walk away from this fight, and from your current condition, it's a sure bet to say it will not be you. And let me inform you now, your condition will only get worse!"

As Knight once again got to his hands and knees, he started crawling away, but that was of little help. Each time he tried to get away, Jedite shot another white stream of energy at him, sending him to the ground again, screaming.

Finally, Knight couldn't keep it up. He lay on the ground with his back to Jedite, as he shot an endless stream of energy at him.

"The fight is mine!" the general said, laughing.

The energy kept coming, and the Moonlight Knight body was racked with intense pain.

"I'm… not… finished… yet!" he screamed.

With the last ounce of strength he could find, Knight reached out for his sword, grabbed it, rolled onto his back, and ran the blade right in the path of the beam! The light was reflected right back at Jedite, hitting him in the face! The stream stopped, and Knight was sent stumbling backwards, though Jedite was hardly moved at all, for he quickly shook off the blow.

Meanwhile, already feeling his strength coming back, Moonlight Knight got to his feet, raced forward, and slashed his weapon around at his adversary multiple times. But Jedite dodged each attack, and backed off as Knight stood several meters away, in a fight-ready stance, looking as strong as before, even with a bleeding shoulder and a limp in his right leg.

"Foolish," Jedite taunted, "yet so brave. It saddens me that I must kill you!"

"Bring it on!"

The fight continued. The swords clashed several times, then Jedite slashed at Knight several times. He dodged each one, until finally, Jedite whirled his blade around, and Knight screamed in pain as the tip cut along his left shoulder! Ignoring the pain, Knight kept his guard up.

Several more clashes between the two swords were made, then Jedite slashed his weapon again, and cut across the right side of Knight's torso! Knight grunted loudly, and fell to his knees as his white clothing was getting stained with red. Jedite attacked several more times, but Knight still fought hard. Then Jedite thrust his weapon past his enemy's, and made another cut along his left leg!

Knight screamed again as he stumbled backwards, and he felt his own blood trickling down his leg. He wearily looked up at Jedite, who was laughing hysterically.

"Give it up already!" he jolted. "You haven't got a chance!"

"Only when I'm dead will I agree to that!" Knight returned.

Knight quickly got back onto his feet and faced his enemy once more. Jedite immediately attacked with a barrage of slashes, forcing Moonlight Knight backwards. As the barrage continued, Knight blocked each and every hit. He knew he couldn't afford to take another stab from Jedite's sword. It was bad enough that he had two wounded shoulders, a bleeding torso and thigh, and a limp in his leg, but he had also been given a dose of Jedite's malignant energy from each hit. He knew he was in a bad spot.

Still he continued to block each hit, while he was forced further and further backward, toward the edge of the skull cave. Unaware of this, Knight continued his end of the fight.

With each blocked hit, Knight wad forced further and further backwards. Finally, he was no more than seven feet from the edge, and they had once again locked swords. While in the middle of this, Knight, sweat pouring down his face, happened the glance backwards, and saw the edge that seemed to be right behind him.

"Interesting situation, isn't it?" Jedite taunted. "You have several severe wounds on your body, and I've got you only a few feet from falling to your death. Still think the fight will be yours?"

Knight knew he was right, but defiantly replied, "I can damn well try, can't I?"

"I suppose…" Jedite said. "But your pathetic tries won't save you."

The swords unlocked, and Jedite delivered more attacks, forcing Knight back a two more feet. The attacks came again, but Knight held his ground and blocked each one, delivering a few of his own, but all were blocked. The swords were locked together again, and Jedite leaned forward against the Knight, forcing them both to look each other directly in the face.

"You don't get it, do you?" he said. "Victory is mine! Surrender yourself now, and I promise your death will be painless."

"Thanks," Knight answered, "but I don't think so."

Jedite grunted angrily and unlocked the swords. Several more attacks were made by both fighters, but all were blocked, until Jedite slashed his weapon overhead, and both swords were locked over their heads.

"Then die…" Jedite hissed in his face, "like the fool that you are."

With that, Jedite unlocked the swords, whirled around, and slashed his sword at Knight. Knight threw his sword up to block, but as the two blades connected, a mighty clang sprang forth, a shower of sparks dispersed from the impact, and not only was Knight's sword knocked from his hand, but the blade was shattered into countless pieces!

Knight backed away several more feet as he felt the handle of his weapon slip from his hands, and realized there was no way to defend himself! His sword was destroyed, he was backing toward the edge of a cliff, and his body was in no condition to be taking any more hits.

Exactly what Jedite was hoping for.

With a malicious grin on his face, he charge forward, and slashed his sword around.

Knight dodged each attack as best he could, meanwhile backing away even further, until if he took one more step, he would fall on the rocks below.

Still what Jedite was working towards.

He whirled his sword at the Knight several more times, each time the attack being dodged while the Knight held his ground. Small pieces of white cloth were cut loose from his clothing as the blade came a little to close, but still nothing serious…

Until Jedite thrust his sword forward, and he was too slow.

Knight gasped for air as he felt cold metal run through his stomach and out his back. Feeling the strength he had just regained leave him, his body trembled furiously as insurmountable pain ravaged his body like locusts on a harvest of food.

Knight slowly looked downward towards where the most pain ran wild. There, he saw the handle of Jedite's sword sticking out of his stomach, and he didn't even have to look back to know the tip was coming out the other end, all the while blood staining the white cloth. Chuckling evilly, Jedite released the handle of his sword and stepped back to marvel at his destructive work. As he released his weapon, Knight promptly fell to his knees, and wearily looked back up at Jedite, an enraged glare engraved on his face. Trying to claw his way towards his enemy, Knight only fell forward in pain, and the sword dissolved into a puff of smoke, leaving the fatal injury.

"Y-you…" Knight stuttered, "you… you monster…"

"I've been called worse," the general said, as he raised his hands forward, and a white electricity crackled through his arms. The light built up in the palms of his hands, until a bright glow was seen on each hand.

Knight got back onto his knees and looked up, seeing the light, and his eyes widened at the sight of it.

"Knighty-knight…" Jedite taunted.

Jedite cocked his glowing hands0 back, then threw them forward.

The blast hit Knight in the chest, and sent him sailing off the edge.

He could do absolutely nothing, except watch as the cave quickly shrank away from his view as he fell to the ground fifty feet below, onto the jagged rocks lining the back of the beach and the cave.

Jedite didn't even stay to hear the bone-shattering CRUNCH, as he walked away almost right after he sent the Knight falling to his doom.

"Broken…" he said, "and done."

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~**

Down on the beach, Darien was almost at an end. He had tried just about everything he could think of to free Sailor Moon from the crystal prison, but nothing had worked. Not a single dent was made, not a single crack could be seen. So Darien was reduced to ramming it with his body, but that was starting to wear thin.

Finally, with his shoulder sore and throbbing, he backed away from the crystal chamber, and in a rage of frustration and determination, turned his back to the prison, formed a red rose in his right hand, whirled around, and hurled the rose at the prison with all the strength he could muster! As soon as the rose as the crystal made contact, a fiery red explosion burst forth. Darien covered his face from the blast, as a current of hot wind blew past his body.

After the wind went by, Darien uncovered himself and looked towards the crystal chamber.

His face brightened as he saw a crack in the face of the prison.

"It's always the last thing you try…" he said.

On that note, he formed another rose in his hand, curled his arm around, and was ready to throw another.

But as he was about to, he felt something cold and metallic wrap itself around his wrist. Darien slowly turned his head back, and saw Jedite standing behind him, and sure enough, his right hand was holding Darien's wrist along with the stem of the rose, preventing him from throwing it.

"Didn't your mother ever tell not to play with sharp objects?" he asked.

The last thing Darien saw was the general's armored fist, coming straight towards his face.

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~**

All was quiet for the next few hours.

By then, the skies had turned a pitch black color, and the moon and stars were no longer visible. The seas too had taken on a darker shade, making it look uninhabitable for any sea creature that may have been there before.

It was then that…

Smash!

a sound finally came from the crystal prison encasing Sailor Moon. During the battle several hours earlier, it had been knocked onto its back, the cracked side facing upwards, with Sailor Moon still on the inside.

Smash!

Though there looked to be no motion going on inside, something certainly was. More quick, forceful blows were being delivered to the cracked surface of the chamber from the inside, each one making little, but noticeable progress. The upwards smashes kept coming, until…

Crash!

A shower of crystallized glass flew as a gloved arm came up from below the cracked prison wall, making a large hole. Another punch came afterward, expanding the hole and sending more crystal around. After a third punch, the hole was large enough for someone to sit down in… or sit up.

Sailor Moon's upper body appeared over the edge of the hole, and she took a long, deep exhale of breath. Huffing and puffing, she leaned forward and buried her head in her hands in relief of finally breaking free. She wiped the sweat from her forehead, then got to her feet and climbed out of what remained of her prison. However, out of fatigue for being trapped inside for so long, she tripped on the edge of the hole she made and fell to the ground.

She got onto her hands and knees, then sat up to the best of her ability, still feeling very weak. She slowly titled her head upwards, and flipped her hair up from over her eyes to see her way around.

"Oh dear God…" were the first words that escapes her lips.

And with good reason. Sailor Moon looked all around her, at got a good, long, and horrifyingly up-close look at what could only have been the work of Jedite.

Along with the blackened sky and ocean, there was much more in this dismal scene to displease the eye. All the trees and fields of grass had been burned, leaving only charred ground and halves of tree trunks, some even reduced to stumps. Several large areas of the beach sand were burning, and others were blackened as their fires had burned out. And to top it all off, the skull cave had been destroyed, the mouth of it collapsed, and a gaping hole in the top, along with the entire range of mountains crumbled to pieces.

"What in the name of…" Sailor Moon said to no one in particular.

She walked around her new surroundings in horror, seeing all the things that had been so beautiful only hours ago. She turned around and walked backwards several steps, and ended up tripping over a broken tree trunk. Startled by the sudden trip-up, she quickly got back onto her feet and continued.

"Darien?" she called. "Knight?"

Silence, except for the echo of her voice, was the reply.

"Darien?" she called again. "Moonlight Knight? Anybody?"

Suddenly, she heard a faint, distance-sounding moan came from somewhere around her. She jumped at the sound of it, then turned her head both ways in search of the source of the noise.

She turned towards the mountains and looked up at the top of cave, but still saw nothing. Then. she looked downwards, and the foot of the cave, and gasped.

"Oh, god!" she cried.

There, lying almost lifelessly on the jagged rocks, lay the broken body of the Moonlight Knight, his white clothing stained with red, with cuts on his arms and legs, and a massive stab wound through his midsection. Sailor Moon rushed to his side, and knelt down next to him. She grabbed his wrist and felt for a pulse, and found one; a faint, almost nonexistent one, but one nonetheless.

"Knight…" she said, looking into his half-closed eyes,

"Knight… for the love of God, Knight, can you hear me?"

The Moonlight Knight gave another groan of agony, and slowly turned his head towards her, and opened his eyes a little more.

"Sailor… Moon…" he uttered.

He tried to move, but she stopped him.

"No," she said, "don't try to move around. Just… dear God, what happened here?"

"Jedite…" he said through weak whispers. "Attack… tried to… stop him, but… I… I failed…"

"What happened to Darien?" Sailor Moon asked. "Where is he?"

"He… took him…" Knight said.

"Where are they now?"

"Over…" he said, "over the mountains…"

Sailor Moon then took a good look at his body, and realized the severity of his condition. She examined his wounds, and, although no medical expert, knew this was serious.

"You're hurt badly," she said. "I've got to get you some help…"

"No," Knight interrupted, reaching up grabbing her arm. "The… injuries are too… severe… Now, you have to… uuuugh… go after Jedite…"

"I can't just leave you here, Knight," she said. "I… I've got to…"

"It's… too late for me… Sailor Moon…" he continued. "Now, you're… the only one who can… take on Jedite… it's all up to you now…"

Sailor Moon realized what he was getting at.

"Knight, I am not going let you die!" she exclaimed. "You've done too much for me to let that happen. I'm going to find you some help!"

Through the red stream of blood going from his mouth down his face, Knight cracked a smile. "Sailor Moon…" he said. "Sweet, caring… you live up… to the legends surrounding your name… But… it won't do any good…"

"That's ridiculous!" Sailor Moon said. "I'm not giving up on you yet! I can get help, and I can heal those wounds… I can… I can… I can do something!"

"Sailor Moon… Serena…" he said, "it's too late… I'm nothing… but a part of Darien that… he doesn't even need… It doesn't matter if I live… as long as you do… That was my mission… and I carried it out to the letter… but now… now… the eve of the Moonlight Knight… must come to an end…"

"Stop talking like that, damn it!" she cursed, as a tear rolled down her face.

"You know I'm right…" Knight insisted. "You know… that you're the only one who can defeat him… it's up to you… to fight for Earth's future… like you… Darien… and the other Sailor Scouts have… as have I… until now…"

Sailor Moon was at a loss for words. She couldn't think of anything to say that could possible dissuade him from what he was thinking, all she could do was feel her tears stream down her face, as she took his hand into hers.

"You…" Knight continued, "you must fight him now… You're the only one who can…"

"But how?" Sailor Moon asked. "I already discovered how to control this place with my mind, but I still couldn't do anything to stop this. Now, your home is destroyed, Jedite has Darien, and… and you're about… about to… He's too strong for me! How can I possibly hope to take him on?"

"Listen to me, Serena," Knight said. "There is… another… power…"

"What?"

"Queen Serenity only told you… of only one… that you must find in order… to defeat Jedite…" he explained. "It is… a power unlike any other… A power, that like that of the DreamScape… can only be found through the deepest of thought… and concentration…"

"What do you mean?" she asked. "What power? And if it's so powerful, why didn't Serenity tell me about it?"

"She didn't know…" Knight replied. "But I do… and so I tell you of it now… All your emotions… your love for Darien, your hatred for Jedite… your will to free your friends of his spell… all of these… you must use them together… to find that power, and use it against him… That alone… can defeat him.."

"But how am I supposed to do that?" Sailor Moon asked.

"You will know… when the time in is… uugh!"

A sudden wave of pain washed over his body as he tried to continue, but time was running out. He slowly turned his head back to her, and opened his eyes again slightly. From the look in his dark blue eyes alone, Sailor Moon knew it couldn't be much longer. As more tears rolled down her face, she turned away from him shamefully.

"I…" she said through a river of tears, "I never wanted this to happen… I never wanted any more of my friends to get involved in any of this… and that includes you… I never wanted for him to find this hideaway, and… and fight you, and… well you know firsthand what happened!… All I ever wanted… all I ever dreamed of… was a peaceful future for humankind."

Knight smiled a little more, and slowly sat up, groaning in pain, so he could look Sailor Moon in the face. She placed her hand on his back for support.

"Just do one thing for me," he said.

"Name it."

"Never give up…" he said. "No matter what happens… no matter the losses you suffer… don't ever give in… to the darkness… for as long as you keep up… your fight…"

His body trembled as strength left his body. He fell backwards, but Sailor Moon's support kept him from hitting the ground. He looked up at her, and tried to reach up and touch her face, but could not.

"The dream… will… _never…_ die…"

His body trembled more, and he slowly closed his eyes. Then, as Sailor Moon was holding him in her arms, his body went limp, and his eyes closed completely. His hand slipped from hers, and his head dropped downward. He was gone.

"Noooooooo!"

As she cried, she held his body close to her, and her tears flowed from her face and onto the shoulder of his white shirt.

Suddenly, his entire body started glowing a bright white glow, that illuminated the area around the both of them, giving some of the blackened ground back its true color. Streams of white energy started flowing all around them, and flowing outward into the sky above. As this occurred, Sailor Moon felt her grip on him starting to slip, as he slowly dissolved.

Then, almost as soon as it began, the body of the Moonlight Knight was gone, and Sailor Moon was holding nothing but air, her tears hitting the ground below her.

She looked up as she saw streams of white energy in the sky above, building up into one large, basketball-sized orb of light, that levitated upwards, until turning into a single dot-like star in the sky that dissolved from sight.

Sailor Moon looked downward in shame, and buried her head in her hands as she cried, for the loss of her dear friend.

Slowly, the hands curled into tightly-clenched fists, and the tears began to stop. She uncovered her face, and gradually rose to her feet, as she began breathing very heavily, the expression on her face showing extreme rage and anger.

"He's gone too far…" she said. "First, he terrorizes my city with his barrage of monsters. Then he puts all my friends into a coma… now… now… he's kidnapped my lover, and killed my friend… Jedite will pay dearly for this… No one takes this much from me… no one! The line has been drawn, and he's walked a mile over it!"

As she spoke, a bright pink aura surrounded her, and a updraft of wind blew up her body, lifting her hair upward. Along with, pink streams of energy appeared and started flowing all around her, as he mixture of emotions, sadness, hatred, anger, and determination, built up and started flowing, right into the pit of her stomach. She felt herself suddenly getting stronger, and stronger…

And, inside her mind, things were just as chaotic.

"Wha-… what's happening to me…?" she thought, as the energy flowed.

Suddenly, images of all her dearest friends, Darien, the other Sailors, Molly, the Four Sisters, and Queen Serenity, and her most hated enemies, Queen Beryl, Nephlite, Zoycite and Malachite, Alan and Ann, Rubeus, Emerald, Sapphire, Prince Diamond, and the Wiseman flashed past her mind's eye.

"This feeling…" her thoughts continued. "it… it's overwhelming! I-I can't control it! It's too much!"

The aura and the streams of energy built up more and more powerfully, and the strength in her body continued to increase to an exponential level and beyond. More and more pictures of her friends and loved ones rushed through her mind, and the energy still continued to flow and increase.

"What is this?" she thought. "I want to stop it, but something inside me is making it do this? What's happening?"

The pictures in her mind then started focusing on her very closest friends.

"Darien… Raye, Amy, Lita, Mina… Serenity… somebody! Help me! I can't stop this! I can't control it!"

Suddenly, the flashing of images stopped on Queen Serenity.

"No, Serena!" she cried. "Don't fight it! Embrace it! Let it flow!"

More voice started calling out to her…

"Listen to her, Meatball Head; she knows what she's talking about!"

"Raye," she thought. "Raye, is that you?"

"We're all here with you, Serena," Amy's voice said. "We all need you now. You can't give up."

"Yeah!" Lita's voice jumped in. "We never could have gotten this far without you! And we need you the most now more than ever before!"

"Keep your strength up," Mina said.

"It's up to you now, Serena," Darien's voice said. "I know you won't let us… let me down…"

"No…" Sailor Moon thought. "No… no, I'll never give up on you guys. How could I?"

"Keep it up, Serena!" Serenity's voice said. "Keep your concentration on the goal! Don't lose it now! You're doing fine!"

"But what's happening to me, mother?" she thought. "What is this… this power?!"

"What the Knight thought I knew not about…"

The energy was almost at its maximum. The aura was glowing at a blinding intensity, as were the streams of energy flowing around her body. And as they glowed, they started moving inward towards Sailor Moon's body. It was all so intense, she couldn't help but tightly shut her eyes as her strength was multiplied. Her teeth and fists were clenched so tightly it almost drew blood.

"Focus, Serena," the Queen said. "Focus on your goal… Focus on the evil… Focus on your enemy…"

Then it happened.

The energy streams were absorbed into Sailor Moon's body in an eyeblink, and the aura instantly shot upwards into the sky as one large, powerful beam of energy that engulfed her body and disappeared in the distance above. And as all of this occurred, Sailor Moon threw her arms outward, opened her eyes, and screamed out into the night…

"Jeeeeddiiiiittttee!"

The beam of pink light thinned out and dissolved, and all that was left was a bright pink glow covering Sailor Moon's body. As she glowed, more strange things were happening to her uniform. Around the jewel of her tiara, an extra golden lining grew out and encased it, and wrapped itself around the top and bottom rim. On the outfit itself, a silver stripe appeared on the top and bottom edges of the red bows, and the same happened on the bottom of the blue skirt.

She lowered her arms to her sides, and a pink energy trailed from her hands, almost like liquid floating in mid-air.

She looked ahead of her, and started walking forward. She made her way to the side of what remained of the cave, where she stood between a burnt tree, and large boulder, looking over the mountains, and into the Moon Kingdom ruins beyond.

The rage in her mind built up again. She yelled loudly, then kicked to the side, hit the mid-section of the tree trunk, and knocked it from its foundation, sending it flying backwards!

After that amazing display of strength, she turned towards the boulder, and threw her clenched fist at it! Upon impact, the entire boulder was shattered like glass, and the pieces were sent flying away from her!

Amazed by her sudden power, Sailor Moon looked at her hands in astonishment, at the pink energy trailing from them. She moved her hands around in the air, and watched as the energy floated around in mid-air.

"What… is this…?" she said to herself.

She almost expected someone to answer, but instead, there was silence.

"This… force…" she continued, "it's incredible! I've never felt so strong in my life!"

She looked to her left hand, and waved her hand around in the air. The energy trailed from her fingers, and started contracting into a tightly-packed ball of light, formed purely by her own concentration. Then, she quickly closed her hand into a fist, and the ball was dissolved into countless thin streams of pink.

Then, in a moment of inspiration, she grinned, and looked out into the Moon Kingdom ruins.

"Judgment Day, Jedite," she said.

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~**

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

Darien looked up at him, an angry scowl on his face.

"I fail to see how," he replied.

"Well, I suppose it all depends on taste," Jedite said. "To you, this may look like a hellhole, but to me, this is paradise. And even more… it's my paradise!"

"Well whoop-dee-doo," Darien said dryly.

Jedite turned to his prisoner with a slight smirk on his face, then looked back over the ledge.

"You know," he said, "compared to what I could have done to you hours ago, I'm being rather hospitable under the circumstances; so I suggest you cut the attitude and show some respect. It is the least you can do for me."

"And why exactly would I want to do anything for you, murderous scumbag?" Darien asked. "You put all my friends into comas, you trapped my girlfriend in a crystal shell, you killed the Moonlight Knight, and now you've kidnapped me. I don't think that's much to be thankful for."

"How about the fact that you're still alive?"

"You're just keeping me alive until Serena gets here," Darien said. "If not for that, you'd kill me in an instant."

"Half an instant," Jedite corrected. "But yes, I've got bigger fish to fry, and frankly, you're just the bait."

"Oh, yeah. That makes me feel soooo much better!" was his sarcastic reply.

"Don't feel too badly, Darien," said Jedite. "Until the fireworks start, why don't you just go with the flow? Sit back, relax, stretch out!"

Darien simply narrowed his eyes on the general and said, "I wouldn't even if I could!"

This was a particularly accurate statement, considering Darien was tied and bound to a large stone wall, with his arms stretched out at his sides, and his feet strapped together with metal cables.

"Hmmm…" Jedite said. "Perhaps tying you up like that WAS going a little too far… but then again… nah."

"You know what you could do to make me feel a little better?" Darien asked.

"It's unlikely I'll do it, but I'll listen."

"Shut up!"

The expression on Jedite's faced turned to a shocked one, taken aback by Darien's sudden showing of defiance.

"No need to be rude," he said.

Darien only looked away from him in hatred, but the fact that he was pinned to a wall made that difficult.

"It doesn't really matter in the end though," Jedite said. "Once your beloved Sailor Moon arrives, I'll finish what I've started. I'll put her under the same spell as the other Sailor Scouts, then let you watch as I personally finish them all off, one by one! Then, I'll get rid of you. And make sure you're really dead this time!"

"So this is how you're going to kill me, huh?" Darien asked. "By boring me to death with your damn speeches? Get real, Jedite. Sailor Moon is a more powerful force than you could ever imagine, with or without your precious powers. To her, you're no more than another one of those stupid Nega-monsters. And she could defeat you just as easily."

Jedite glared angrily at him, trying to hide his inner anger.

"Face it," Darien continued. You think you're the perfect weapon of mass destruction, don't you? Well it's said that believing one's self to be perfect is often to sign of a delusional mind."

"Small words," Jedite replied, "from a small being, who can't begin to understand what I'm capable of."

Jedite raised his fist before him, and surges of white electricity crackled through it. He then flew up off the ground and floated before Darien, and held the electrified hand right in front of his face.

"You overestimate her," Jedite said. "Sure, she may have to power to defeat me, but how well does she know how to use it? I know her just as well as she knows herself, and I also know that beyond her responsible, strong exterior, there's nothing more than that pathetic, wimpy little girl I met ten years ago. That, my friend, is how Sailor Moon began, and that is how she shall see her end!"

Suddenly, his train of thought was interrupted, as he felt a blast of energy hit him square in the back, and send him smashing into the wall. Jedite flew away from and over the wall, then turned around to see his attacker, and saw Sailor Moon, on the ledge below, with her arm outstretched, glowing with a pink energy.

"Don't count on it." she said.

Jedite scowled at her.

"So…" he said. "You finally decided to join to party, eh?"

Suddenly, he whipped his arms forward, and sent two bolts of light flying at her. However, Sailor Moon shot both her arms forward, and two flashes of pink energy flashed from her palms, just as both the blasts were right in front of her! All four of them canceled each other out! Jedite was surprised to say the least.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world," Sailor Moon answered.

Jedite flew at her at full speed. Sailor Moon simply jumped into the air as he went under her. She flipped in the air, then landed on her feet almost right were she was before. Jedite stopped in mid-flight, then turned around to face her just in time to see a pink burst of light flash in his face. Jedite was sent backwards, hitting a wall behind him, and making a large hole in it!

He flew away from the wall, and faced Sailor Moon again. He had planned on taking her head-on, but stopped in mid-flight once again, and examined her altered attire.

"What's with the new look?" he asked.

"A little something I cooked up," she said. "Amazing what you can dish out after you watch one of your friends die…"

"Ah, I figured he didn't have much time," Jedite said with a smile. "Those wounds I gave him were rather serious; I'm not surprised he's gone now. Of course I can't say I'm saddened, either, but you know what I mean."

"All too well," she said, as she shot her hand forward, shooting a beam of pink light.

Jedite flew upwards to avoid the attack, and the beam flew past him, and took out what remained of the wall. Jedite then flew over Sailor Moon's head, then dropped downward at her, feet first. Sailor Moon looked up to see him, then jumped backwards as he smashed into the ground, sending pieces of concrete around. As soon as he touched the ground, he shot his right arm forward and sent a blast of energy at her.

Sailor Moon shot her arm forward and sent her own blast of light at the projectile. The two made contact, and again canceled each other out. Jedite was again surprised by her sudden display of power.

"Impressive moves," he said. "Another little something you cooked up with your new outfit?"

"You could say that."

"I don't care," Jedite continued. "You can use whatever you want. I'm still going to get my revenge for what you did to me!"

"Whatever."

Jedite growled angrily, and rushed at her. Sailor Moon barely had time to react, as Jedite grabbed her by the shoulders, and slammed her up against the wall. She tried to free herself, but Jedite's grip was too strong, and was really starting to hurt. She squinted at Jedite, her teeth clenched tightly.

"Now it ends!" said Jedite.

"You've got that right!" she replied,

Suddenly, the jewel of her tiara gave off a bright glow, and a thin beam of pink energy spewed forth. Jedite had no time to react, and was hit in the chest, and sent flying backwards, forcing him to release her from his grip. Sailor Moon fell to the ground, but quickly got back onto her feet.

Jedite tiredly shook off the sudden blow, and tried his best to stay afloat. The attacks dished out by his adversary were very powerful, nothing like what he had expected.

"How are you doing this?" he demanded.

"Figure it out, Jedite!" she replied, standing up straight and looking him in the eyes. "It doesn't matter how powerful you think you are; I still have the power to defeat you, and I know damn well how to use it!"

The general disregarded her words, and shot another ball of light at her. Sailor Moon simply pointed her palm at the fireball, shot one of her own, and canceled it out. Then, she shot out her other hand, and hit Jedite again with a pink ball of light. Still he persisted. He shot several more attacks afterwards, but the results were the same; Sailor Moon canceled his attack, and hit him with one of her own.

The fight continued, with Jedite trying his hardest, but Sailor Moon was always getting the better of him. Jedite was getting increasingly weak. For every hit taken from his long-time enemy, it was that much more energy taken away from him to attack her.

Finally, he was floating close to the ground, to weak to go any higher, clutching his chest, which had taken the most hits. Sailor Moon stood twenty feet from him, looking not in the least bit tired. Her hands and the jewel of her tiara were glowing brightly, and the expression on her face only showed that she was not about to give up.

Seeing Jedite's obvious lack of strength, she relaxed her body, and the glow dissolved.

"Nooo!" Jedite roared, lifting up his head. "This isn't over yet! You haven't seen anything, little girl!"

Jedite straightened his body, and floated higher into the air. He stretched his arms out at his sides, and suddenly, small floating particles of black light started appearing like stars in the sky, and flowing towards him. Jedite slowly brought his hands inward, and the lights started building up into a tightly packed ball of energy. Finally, Jedite's hands were on either side of the orb, which was the size of a beachball, and glowing like a halogen lamp.

Then, Jedite shot both his palms forward, and from the ball of a light, a massive beam of evil energy spewed forth and shot straight for Sailor Moon.

Sailor Moon had only a fraction of a second to react, but used it well.

Without hesitation, she knelt to the ground and placed her hands forward, just as the beam was about to reach. Her hands emitted a pink glow, and the head of the beam was stopped right in front of them, as a thick, pink stream of light slowly flowed from her hands, blocking the other beam, and starting to force it backwards!

It was an awesome sight. Two long-time adversaries, locked in battle, both using powers they'd never seen the likes of before.

Sailor Moon concentrated her hardest, and the pink stream expanded, forcing Jedite's evil energy beam back further and further, inch by inch. The evil power looked so much stronger than the good, but the good was so much stronger.

Both felt the strain of keeping their guards up while the other advanced. But it was obvious who was winning.

Finally, both streams were of equal length, with a massive flash of light in between them. One side of the area was illuminated with pink light, the other with black light.

Jedite was finding it harder and harder to keep his guard up, and his energy beam was starting to lose its consistency. But Sailor Moon, though feeling the same strain on her mind and body, was still going strong, and kept her attack coming.

Then, she heard the voices that she heard before as she was given this new power.

"Keep it up, Serena!" Raye said. "If you give up now, I'll never speak to you again!"

"Don't lose it," Amy jumped in. "You've got it perfectly!"

The other voices joined in as well, along with others, including Molly, Melvin, Andrew, and others, despite the fact that they knew not of Serena's dual identity.

"Focus," Queen Serenity said. "Don't give in. We all believe in you…"

Acting on instinct, Sailor Moon happened to glance backwards, seeing Darien tied to the wall, engrossed in the fight.

"I believe in you…" he said. "You can do this…"

"We all believe you can do it, Serena," Mina's voice said. "All of us do."

"Yeah!" Lita said.

"Yeah!" all the voices said at once.

"Focus, Serena," the Queen repeated. "Focus on your goal… Focus on the evil… Focus on your enemy…"

Sailor Moon then gave a mighty yell, forced her hands forward, and shot the stream of energy straight through Jedite's, completely canceling it out, and hitting him right in the chest!

Jedite screamed out of anger and pain as he flew in a wall. He shook off the blow, then floated forward, his face distorted with rage.

Sailor Moon stood calmly where she was, then started slowly walking towards him, a look of determination on her face.

Jedite was about to fly forward and attack her, but the gem in her tiara glowed pink for a moment, then shot a thin laser of light at him, hitting him in the chest again! Jedite stumbled backwards and grunted, then started towards her again. Another laser to the chest sent him back again.

As Sailor Moon progressed, more and more laser beams shot forth from her tiara, hitting Jedite in various places on his body; arms, legs, the torso, even right between the eyes!

She finally stopped as she stood on the very edge of the platform, looking at Jedite, who could now barely keep floating. He floated in the air above her, clutching his chest, huffing and puffing and wheezing.

"Finish him!" the voice chanted.

Sailor Moon placed her hands on either side of her tiara, "lifted" them upwards, and flawlessly removed it from her forehead. The tiara floated between her hands as she held it before her. The jewel gave off a bright glow, and, in a flash of light, the entire tiara was turned into a white, brightly-glowing discus of light, still floating between her hands. Sailor Moon spun around like a dancer while holding the discus above her head, then stopped as the right side of her back was facing Jedite, and her right hand held the discus above her head.

Jedite's eyes widened as he saw her do this, for he knew this attack all to well… but there was something different about it… he could tell.

Sailor Moon then brought the discus downward, and curled her arm back, ready to throw it. As she did, more streams of light appeared out of nowhere, and flowed into the discus, making it glow even brighter.

"Lunar… Tiara…" she said, her voice echoing like a thundercloud.

Then she spun around and threw it.

"Sorcery!"

The discus shot through the air like a bullet, appearing as a massive wave of purifying light.

"Nooooooo!" he screamed, as the discus made contact.

An explosion erupted from the impact, and thin streaks of light were sent around, like sparks from a fireworks display. Sailor Moon covered her face from the eruption, while Darien simply turned his head to the side and closed his eyes.

As the explosion dimmed, they both looked forward, and caught sight of a black portal just finishing its closure.

Suddenly, the bonds holding Darien to the wall simply disappeared, and he crashed to the floor, unprepared for the sudden drop. He quickly got to his feet and rushed over to Sailor Moon's side, who simply stood on the ledge, amazed at what has just transpired. She turned to her boyfriend, with the same bewildered look on her face.

"Did I do that?" she asked.

Suddenly, both of them were blinded by a brilliant flash of light, emanating from all around them. They both covered their eyes as it engulfed them.

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~**

The next thing Serena knew, she saw Luna staring her in the face.

"Serena!" she shouted. "Serena, wake up!"

Serena shot up in the sofa, and the cat leapt off her and landed on the ground. She was breathing heavily, and sweating as well. She wiped the sweat off her forehead, and looked around.

She was no longer in the Moon Kingdom ruins. It was her apartment, and she was sitting on her sofa. Luna and Artemis were sitting on the floor, and Darien was still asleep next to her.

"Are you guys all right?" Artemis asked.

"I…" she stuttered, "think so… I don't… Oh God… Darien!"

She looked to her right and saw him, still asleep.

"Darien! Wake up!" she said, grabbing by the arm and shaking him around.

Darien gave a groan and slowly opened his eyes. He wearily sat up, and took a look around, seeing Serena sitting next to him. Slowly, the worried look on both their faces turned into smiles.

"we did it…" Serena said cheerfully. "we did it!"

Both of them got up off the couch, and Serena jumped into Darien's arms, both of them cheering with delight.

"I don't understand," Luna said. "What went on in there?"

"Don't you get it, Luna?" Artemis answered. "We beat him! The good guys won!"

"You got it, Artemis!" Serena said. "We kicked his butt!"

"More accurately, she kicked his butt!" Darien said.

Suddenly, the expression on Serena's face changed, as she was hit by another thought.

"Oh my God," she said. "The others! We have to get to the hospital!"

"You're right," Darien replied. "They're probably just waking up!"

With that, both of them grabbed their jackets and raced out the door, leaving Luna and Artemis behind, as they both just looked at each other in astonishment.

"How come we never get any of the action around here?" Luna asked.

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~**

"What do you mean there's no change?!" Serena demanded.

"Just what I said," Andrew answered. "There's been no change whatsoever in their condition. They aren't getting any worse, but they haven't gotten any better either. Why do you ask?"

"I…" Serena said, at a loss for words. "I… I don't know, I… guess I just kind of expected them to… snap out of it or something, I don't know."

"Well, conditions like these don't normally last too long," he said. "If the situation is only as severe as I'm guessing, they may snap out of it pretty soon. That of course depends on what caused it in the first place. Any idea what did?"

"Uh… no," Darien said.

Suddenly, the sound of a beeper was heard. Andrew checked his belt, took out his beeper, and checked the number on the screen.

"Hmm…" he said. "I've got to go make a phone call. I'll be back in few minutes. Let me know if anything changes; okay?"

"Okay."

Andrew put the beeper back on his belt, and left the room. Serena and Darien both gave a sigh of frustration, and looked at their still comatose friends.

"I just don't get it," Serena said. "We defeated Jedite in the dream, he's no longer in the DreamScape; so why are the others still unconscious?"

"I don't know," Darien replied. "Maybe there's some other part of Jedite's spell that we're overlooking or something."

"But what?"

"How am I supposed to know?"

"You're asking me?"

"Yes, I'm asking you!"

Serena sat down in a chair and buried her head in her hands. She had no idea what to do. She had figured the spell would be broken once Jedite was defeated, but obviously there _was_ something they overlooked.

"So what now?" Serena asked, looking to her boyfriend.

"Maybe it'll wear off if we give it enough time," he suggested. "That's how it works sometimes."

Serena got up out of the chair, walked to the window, and placed her head against the wall, looking down on the ant-like pedestrians on the ground over a hundred feet below.

Suddenly, a strange humming sound filled the room.

Serena and Darien looked around the room in search of the noise. They thought it was coming from one of the heart monitors, but none of them made a hum, only the steady "beep… beep… beep" it had been making for the last several days. Darien moved closer to Serena as he searched, then looked at her as he realized something.

"It's coming from you!" he said.

Serena checked her clothes, then finally figured it out.

"Of course!" she cried.

She reached into her shirt, grabbed her necklace, and took it off her neck, revealing the Moon Crystal Locket. The star pattern was shining brightly, and a pink glow surrounded the entire pendant. And as she took it out, the hum became louder, indicating it was the source of the strange noise.

"The crystal!" Serena said.

"What do you mean?" Darien asked.

"I'm going to try and heal them with the Silver Crystal," Serena answered. "If anything can get them out of this coma, this will."

"Are you sure that's safe?" Darien asked. "We've never used it on them before! How do you know it'll work?"

"It worked on the Four Sisters," she replied, "and it worked on Rini when Wiseman turned her into Wicked Lady; if it can work on them… it'll work now."

"What if it doesn't?"

Serena gulped. "We'll just have to hope it does."

Darien moved to the side as Serena stood before the four beds. She closed her eyes, and held the locket over her head.

"Moon… Crystal… Healing…"

Suddenly, the lid of the locket opened wide, revealing the Imperium Silver Crystal, glowing with a pink light.

"Activation!"

The glow expanded from the crystal, then shot forward in a bright, wide beam of light that enveloped Amy, Raye, Lita, and Mina in a pink glow. At first, nothing happened, but then…

Beep… beep… beep… beep… beep-beep… beep-beep…"

On all four heart monitors, the heart rate slowly increased.

"I think it's working…" Darien said.

The heart rates increased, and then even more happened. From all four beds, a faint groan could be heard, and slight movement could be seen. The heart rates increased, the groans got louder, and there was more movement as well.

Then, when the glow was at its brightest, the most awesome sign of effect was seen, as all four of them, Amy, Raye, Lita, and Mina, shot up in bed, their eyes wide open, giving a short scream of surprise.

The light of the crystal quickly dissolved as all four of them woke up, and the lid of the locket closed.

Serena lowered her arm, and she and Darien both watched as their friends woke from their sound slumber. All four looked around the room in surprise, trying to get their bearing on where they were. From the way they saw things, being asleep had been no more than a few moments ago.

"Aww…" Raye whined. "Don't tell me we missed all the fun!"

Serena gave a squeal of delight and jumped into Darien's arms again, both cheering with joy. Jedite had been defeated, the other Sailor Scouts had been freed from his spell, and it seemed they were already back to their old selves.

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~**

"So that's how it happened, guys," Serena finished.

"I never thought it possible…" Mina said. "Jedite attacking through… an alternate reality almost! Remind me never to disregard the saying, 'Die in your sleep, die for real'!"

"It's weird," Raye commented. "All my life, I sort of believed in a kind of dream world, where anything you want can be yours… just think of it and it's there, y'know? It's a shame how someone like that monster could manipulate it like that!"

Their conversation continued as they walked out of the hospital building. They passed through the double doors, and all of them looked up to see the sun shining brightly above them. Lita took a deep breath, and stretched out her body, as if absorbing the sun's rays.

"Ahh…" she said. "I never thought seeing the sun could feel this good!"

"Waking up from a nightmare can do that," Mina replied.

"Not to sound like a nag," Serena jumped in, "but are you sure you guys are… you know, okay? You did just wake up from a coma."

"We all checked in with Andrew," Amy answered. "He says we're in perfect physical and mental condition. And boy, does it feel great!"

"You can say that again!"

"So where'd Darien run off to?" Raye asked.

"He's still inside talking with Andrew," Serena said. "Catching up on old times, that sort of thing. They didn't exactly reunite under the most pleasant circumstances, so it's best to give those two some time alone. Hey, I can't keep Darien busy all the time, can I?"

"No," Lita said. "And thank God too! Otherwise, we wouldn't get to spend any time with you!"

"Now that you mention it," Serena said, "I haven't had a decent meal since all of this DreamScape stuff started up. What do you guys say we all head out for some pizza, for old time's sake?"

"You've got our vote," the four of them answered.

"Come one then!" she said. "I know this great place over by Sisters' Secrets! The girls go there all the time; they say it's fabulous! So what are we gonna have on it?"

"Pepperoni!" was the first choice.

"With extra cheese!" followed up.

"How about anchovies?"

"Oh, no you don't! You put anchovies on my pizza, you'll be on my pizza!"

"Okay, okay, no anchovies!"

The argument continued as the five of them walked down the street, not noticing how the sky was slowly being covered in dark, evil-looking thunder clouds. They had reached the end of the hospital grounds, when a sudden loud crash of thunder caught all of their attention. They looked up towards the sky, seeing the gray clouds.

A crash of lightning erupted from the clouds, blanketing the sky for a split-second in snow white. They covered their eyes from the flash, and as they looked up again, there, floating in the sky above, was Jedite.

"So," he said, gradually levitating downwards. "You think you're pretty smart, don't you?"

Serena grimaced at him and growled.

"You don't know to quit, do you?!" she demanded.

"I'll never quit," he returned. "Not until each one of you lies dead at my feet. You pathetic Sailor Scouts have been a thorn in my side for too long. Now it ends… right here, right now."

"What do we do now?" Lita whispered.

Serena turned from Jedite for a moment, and gave a defiant, determine look to her friends, as her hands balled into fists.

"I don't know about you guys…" she said. "but I am sick and tired of getting pushed around by this psychopathic freak! You want to know what I say we should do?"

She then turned back to Jedite.

"I say…" she finished, "that Sailor Scouts are back in action! What do you say, guys… you wanna put this evil slug in his place?"

Her forceful words were immediately greeted by a chorus of cheers from her friends, with comments like "Yeah!" and "All right!", and even a "You go, girl!"

"You want a fight, Jedite?" Serena asked. "You've got it!"

Immediately, Serena reached around her neck, and took out the Moon Crystal locket, and the other followed by taking out their transformation wands.

"Let's go, team!"

"Mercury… Star… Power!"

Five streams of icy-blue stars flowed towards Amy's hands, turning her fingernails a shade of blue. She turned her hand around, as the Mercury wand flew into her grasp, the Mercury symbol glowing and spinning. She took the wand and waved it around her body, as blue streams of energy flowed from it, surrounding her body, and bonding to her skin. A flash of light and a burst of bubbles later, and she now donned the sailor uniform, blue skirt, light blue bows, blue boots, gloves, and tiara of Sailor Mercury!

"Mars… Star… Power!"

Five streams of red stars flowed towards Raye's hands, turning her fingernails a red color. She turned her hand around, and the Mars wand flew into her grasp, the Mars symbol spinning and glowing. Streams of fire erupted from the wand, that immediately formed themselves into rings of flame, spinning around her body at an incredible speed. The rings then shrank and attached to her body. A flash of light later, and she wore the sailor uniform with the red skirt and violet and red bows, along with red high-heeled shoes, gloves, and tiara of Sailor Mars!

"Jupiter… Star… Power!"

Five streams of green sparks flowed into Lita's hands, turning her fingernails forest green. She turned her hand around, and the Jupiter wand flew into her grasp, the Jupiter symbol spinning and glowing. Lightning flowed to and from the wand, and around Lita's body as she twirled. The lightning continued to flow, until it formed three large spinning rings of electricity, arranged like the electrons of an atom. The rings moved towards her and covered her body. After the light dimmed, she wore the sailor uniform and green skirt and pink bows, with the green laced boots, gloves, and tiara of Sailor Jupiter!

"Venus… Star… Power!"

Bright yellow stars flowed into Mina's hands, turning her fingernails a golden color. She turned her hand around, and the Venus wand flew into her grasp, the Venus symbol spinning and glowing. She waved the wand around in the air, and golden stars spewed forth from them. Finally, she held the wand above her head, and a spiral of stars encircled her body. Then, an massive flow of light went up her body, completely engulfing her. As it dissolved, she wore the sailor uniform and yellow-orange skirt and blue and yellow bows, orange high-heeled shoes, gloves, and tiara of Sailor Venus!

Then it was Serena's turn.

"Moon… Crystal… Power!"

She raised the locket above her head, and the lid opened up, revealing the Silver Crystal. The crystal gave off a pink glow, and rays of pink light were shot outward. After the light dissolved, Serena's body was covered in a pink aura. She placed the locket on her chest, and spun around a she could feel the energy flow through her body.

She faced forward, a pair of angel's wings appeared behind her back, and raised her arms in the air, and red ribbons of energy wrapped themselves around her torso. The angel wings dissolved, and the ribbons gave off a bright flash of light, leaving behind the sailor uniform with the red bows, and the locket in the center. She spun around, and raised her arms in the air, and the ribbons flowed around her forearms. Another flash of light, and the white gloves were donned. The ribbons once again flowed, wrapping around her legs. Another flash of light, and the red knee-high boots encased her lower legs. The pink aura then dissolved, and the blue skirt appeared around her waist. More streams of energy flowed around her back, forming the red bow on the backside of her costume. Finally, she faced forward again as a star-like sparkle flash on her forehead. The sparkle then turned into the earrings, the jewels in her hair, and the tiara of the powerful, agile, and not to mention beautiful Sailor Moon!

All five of the Sailor Scouts stood on the ground, facing the general, who floated closer to the ground. All of them wore an expression on determination their faces, and all of them were ready for a fight.

"Very impressive," Jedite commented, "but that won't be enough to save you!"

Instantly, Jedite threw forth his arms, and shot a bright beam of energy at the group. All them dodged to one side or the other just as the beam exploded on the pavement, sending chunks out of the ground. They all rolled and got back onto their feet.

"I'll take him!" Venus declared, as she stood up straight.

She raised her finger into the air, and two crescent moons came together into one shape, that made contact with her finger, making a bright flash.

"Venus… Crescent Beam…"

She pointed her finger forward. Another flash of light erupted from her fingertip, and a thin beam of yellow light shot forward from her hand.

"Smash!"

The laser light shot at Jedite, but was quickly stopped as he held an armored palm forward. A black light glowed from his hand, and the laser stopped in mid-air, and compacted into a bright glowing ball of light. Jedite then closed his fist around the ball, dissipating it.

Venus gasped as she saw her attack so easily countered.

"It's been ten years, people," the general taunted. "I'd think you'd use some more powerful attacks on me than those old moves!"

"You haven't seen anything yet!" Mars yelled.

Mars brought her hands together, and interlaced her fingers, with the index fingers together and pointing upward. A red light flickered at the tips, and a orange flame erupted from them.

"Mars… Fire…"

She spun around, and then pointed her fingertips forward, sending a large ball of fire spiraling towards Jedite.

"Ignite!"

Jedite simply floated to the side as the fireball flew past him. He then dived towards them all, his hands glowing brightly. He flew over their heads, shooting several smaller, yet just as destructive beams of energy at them. The Scouts quickly dodged each one, and they sent more chunks of concrete out of the pavement.

"Manslaughter… attempted murder… destruction of public property…" Sailor Moon commented. "The charges are just piling up on you, aren't they, Jedite?"

"As if human law even concerns me!" he said, as he floated into the sky again.

"As long as you attack our planet, it does!" Mercury shouted. "And you're going to pay for your crimes!"

Mercury brought her arms together, and faced the palms of her hands outwards. Suddenly, a bright, tightly-compacted ball of aqua-blue light appeared in her hands.

"Mercury Bubbles…"

She spun around with the glowing ball in her hands, and as she faced forward again, she brought her legs together, and her fingertips then faced the glowing ball, floating in the air before her. In an instant, she stretched her arms out to her sides, and sent the ball shooting forward, as it separated into a barrage of countless blue bubbles.

"Blast!"

The bubbles shot at Jedite and surrounded him, and each one dissolved releasing a chilly fog, completely clouding his vision.

"Rrgh!" he cursed. "Damn this fog! Where did they go?!"

Suddenly…

"Jupiter… Thunder… Crash!"

Jedite yelled in pain as a streak of lightning came out of what seemed like nowhere and hit him in the back! His body crackled with electricity, and the fog cleared. Jedite whirled around and saw Sailor Jupiter standing on the ground below him, her body in position showing she'd just launched her thunder attack.

He then raised his hand over his head, and they crackled with black sparks.

"Oh, no you don't!" Venus yelled.

She stood up straight, and stretched her arms out at her sides. Her body surrounded itself in a beam of light coming up from the ground, and a trail of yellow-glowing hearts started spiraling around her.

"Venus… Love Chain…"

Venus raised her finger into the air again, and the heart at the very top of the trail touched it. Instantly, it and the rest of the hearts turned into a "chain" of brightly glowing heart-shaped links. She then pointed her finger forward, and the top of the chain shot forward, taking the rest with it.

"Encircle!"

Jedite was so busy building up his attack, that he didn't see the chain coming. It wrapped itself around both his hands, tightly tying them up. The energy stopped crackling, and Jedite looked at his hands in surprise.

"What th-"

While Jedite fiddled with the chain, Mercury took the opportunity to attack.

She started by placing her fists on her collarbone. From out of nowhere, a droplet of water splashed at her feet. From the splash, a stream of sparkling water droplets spiraled up and around her body as she spun around. Mercury brought her hands above her head, and the droplets flowed between them and built up into one large, sparkling mass of floating water.

"Shining… Aqua…"

She threw her arms forward, and the mass of water shot at Jedite in a stream of liquid ice.

"Illusion!"

Jedite had just broken free of Venus's chain, when he turned to the side and saw the stream coming. He immediately curled his body into a ball, and covered his front side with his black cape, just as the stream hit and engulfed him. As it dissolved, Jedite was still floating in the air, but his body was covered in a thick sheet of blue ice, with icicles hanging off him!

The ice vibrated for a second, then shattered as Jedite forcefully stretched out his body, sending chards of crystallized ice everywhere. Jedite's flotation started to fluctuate, showing weakness from the sudden barrage of attacks. He opened his blank eyes, and could barely see past his nose.

"Mars… Celestial… Fire… Surround!"

"Jupiter… Thunderclap… Zap!"

His vision slowly came back into focus, and just as it did, his eyes widened as he saw eight rings of fire, followed by a large spinning ball of electricity flying straight at him!

He had no time to react, as both attacks hit him in the chest! His body was both set on fire and sent with electricity flowing through him. He screamed out in pain, for both attacks were, to say the least, more than he could handle in his condition.

His floating became even more erratic, under he held his "ground" about ten feet in the air, while the Sailor Scouts regrouped.

"All right!" Mars cheered. "Your turn now, Sailor Moon!"

"Get ready to eat my moon dust, Jedite!" Sailor Moon yelled.

The other scouts stepped back as the Moon Scepter appeared in Sailor Moon's hand, the crown and lights on the crescent moon flickered with a pink light. She held the scepter over her head, and a white light flashed flowed into the crown, which was still flickering.

She then brought the scepter downwards and spun around with in her hand, pink sparks of light trailing from it. She finished spinning, and then faced forward. She then started waving the wand back and forth, with even more of the sparks trailing from it, and the crown flickering even brighter.

"Moon… Scepter…"

She waved it past her body one last time, then pointed it forward.

"Elimination!"

Six streams of pink sparks spiraled forth from the scepter. The moon shape gave off a quick bright flash, and a crescent moon was sent spiraling forward, with a trail of yellow stars following it.

Jedite yelled as the crescent hit him, and a massive explosion erupted from the impact.

The explosion slowly dissipated, and Sailor Moon and the Sailor Scouts smiled as they saw their arch-enemy engulfed in the blast. However, their smiles soon faded as the explosion cleared, and a black portal was left behind, and Jedite's maniacal laughter filled the air.

"Ha ha ha!" he cackled. "Well, as the old saying goes, 'He who fights and runs away, lives to fight another day'! Until next time, scouts!"

The portal closed, and the dark clouds in the sky dissolved, revealing the beautiful blue sky beyond.

"Yeah, you'd better run for it!" Jupiter yelled.

"Coward!" Mercury called.

"And don't come back!" Venus added.

"We've won a lot here today, scouts," Moon said.

"Yeah!" Mars replied. "We kicked Jedite's sorry butt, and suffered no losses!"

The smile then faded from Sailor Moon's face as she realized there was something she forgot to tell her friends.

"Well…" she said, "almost no losses…"

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~**

The next day, Serena, Darien, Luna and Artemis, and the rest of the Sailor Scouts went to the local cemetery. It was a gray, overcast, windy day, so all of them wore coats over their black clothing. The cemetery was empty, so they could could conduct their plans without disturbance.

In the middle of the yard, they approached the largest tree they could find. And stood before, their heads tilted downwards in mourning.

Serena walked forward several steps, then turned and faced her friends, who all lifted their heads to look her in the face.

"He was a soldier," she said. "He was a warrior. He was our savior. But most of all, he was our friend. He risked his very existence countless times for us; but this time was different… He gave his life so that we could continue ours. For that, and the countless times before, we honor him this day.

She then turned to the tree, and placed several white roses at the base of the tree.

"In memory of you, my friend, the Moonlight Knight," she said, "for all of your courageous acts… either in our world…"

She dropped her head downwards, and a teardrop rolled down her face.

"or in my dreams…"


	7. Chapter 6: A Demon's Justice

**Alright guys here's the next chapter! I know its been a while, but its here now. I also have the next chapter almost completely finished. I plan to have it up before the end of the week!**

**~Laina Mayes**

**Chapter 6**

**A Demon's Justice**

The black portal opened wide, and the once mighty general Jedite stumbled out of it. Once his feet touched the surface of the floor, he immediately fell forward, landing first on his knees, then falling flat on his face. The battle on Earth with the Sailor Scouts, preceded by the one with Sailor Moon in the DreamScape, had severely weakened him, to the point that he could barely stand. And his sudden fall was proof of that.

"Energy…" he hissed, "gone…"

He gradually clawed his way towards his throne, mustering any and all strength he could. Once at the foot of it, he reached up and tried to grab the armrest, only to slip on it and fall to the floor again.

"Uuuuhh…" he groaned. "Damn… those… Sailors…"

He opened his eyes, revealing that their blank, glassy look was almost gone, and his black pupils were fully visible. A cloudy whiteness washed over them, showing his powers weren't fully gone, but also showing that they were greatly depleted.

He reached up again, and took a good, solid grip on his chair, then slowly hoisted himself to his feet. He then turned around and sat in the chair, relieved from the cease in motion. However, he still groaned in pain, both from his battle injuries, and his excessive body motion.

"I must… recharge… my power…"

He sat back in the throne and closed his eyes, as a faint glow started emanating from his entire body. He sighed deeply as he could already feel his powers coming back.

"Aaaah… uuuuhh…"

As time passed, the glow built up a little more, and bit by bit, Jedite's energy was being restored. It was a slow process, but it would be effective nonetheless.

Twenty-four hours passed. Since then, one-fourth of Jedite's powers were restored to him, and he was already feeling considerably stronger. A slight pain ran through his body as he recharged, but to get back at his enemies for what they did to him, it would be worth it.

He opened his eyes again, showing that their blank look had almost fully returned. A few gaps in the cloudiness appeared occasionally, but the overall look still maintained the white overcast.

"Ah…" he said. "That feels better already."

He sat back and closed his eyes again, letting the energy come.

"You're pathetic, you know that?" a voice suddenly said.

"Silence…" Jedite replied, not at all surprised to hear the voice.

"Well, you are," the voice said. "Simple as that. You go up against them, you're bound to lose."

"I said silence!" Jedite snapped.

"Or what?" the voice said. "You'll kill me? Go ahead and try, but I'll have to warn you; someone beat you there."

Jedite opened his eyes again, and curled his lip, making an angry scowl. He looked left and right, then closed his eyes again.

"Don't pretend like I'm not here," the voice continued, "or like you can't hear me, because I know you can. And I know you realize what I'm telling you."

"I told you to shut up," Jedite hissed.

"Don't go ordering us around," another voice said. "We were all above you, you know."

"Not anymore," said Jedite. "Not since you're all…"

"What?" a third voice said, this time a female. "Dead? Yes, we're well aware of that. But how lovely of you to remind us of it."

"Leave me be…"

"You're as stupid as ever," the first voice said. "So, you've absorbed all this power, yet you still can't get rid of five girls? I'm not in the least surprised. They always had the upper hand, even over the most formidable of opponents. For a while, I figured you would be an exception, but obviously, I was mistaken."

Jedite opened his eyes and looked around. "I'm not like other enemies…" he said.

"Huh!" the second voice said. "As if you're the first one to say that! I once said the exact same thing to them over ten years ago, and did it get me anywhere? No, it didn't! Except through Death's doorway."

"And sooner or later…" the third voice chimed in, "you'll suffer the same fate."

"No!" Jedite snapped. "I'll never let myself fall to that!"

"That's the very attitude that got us where we are today, Jedite. Great minds think alike, therefore they fall alike as well!"

Jedite rose from his throne and started slowly walking around the platform, his eyesight narrowing.

"Face it, Jed," the first voice said. "You've still an arrogant fool, thinking you're the most supreme evil, with the supreme power. But let me tell you, those thoughts are making you weak, and it will cause you doom, whether you want to admit it or not! Sooner of later, it all boils down to the fact that they will win."

"I don't believe you!" Jedite replied. "Not for a moment!"

In his mind, he could hear the second voice give a chuckle under its breath.

"Why do you deny yourself the truth?" it asked. "You know we're right. You know that all these angry emotions aren't going to do you any good. So why do you tell yourself otherwise?"

"Because I know otherwise!" Jedite yelled, his voice echoing throughout the blackness. He turned back to his chair and sat back down in it.

"Oh, do you?" the first voice asked. "Come now, Jedite, you know as well as we do, that hatred, anger, betrayal, conspiracy, and all that garbage isn't going to help you. It's because of that that we're dead. Sure, we didn't want to admit it before, but that disbelief didn't exactly help our situation either."

"Give me a break!" the general answered. "You think I don't know how each of you went? You think I don't have that knowledge?"

"You may know about what happened to us," the voice said, "but you've still got plenty to learn before you have the whole truth. What you see now is the truth, but it's only half the picture."

"Stop!" Jedite yelled. Getting up from his chair again. He turned towards the lamp post at the forward corner of the platform, and stared angrily.

"We're simply here to give you the other half," the voice finished.

"Why should I listen to any of you?" he asked. "It was because of your own ridiculous weakness that you're all dead. Like you, Nephlite…"

Suddenly, the air in front of the post began to ripple, and something began to form. A human-like body took shape, but at first only a transparent outline, visible only by the distortion of the air within and around it. As the formation continued, the full figure of the body could be seen, casually leaning up against the torch post with his arms crossed.

Suddenly, skin, clothing, and face became visible. It was a male, with long brown hair, wearing a purple uniform, identical to the one Jedite wore before his "transformation". The distortion of the air faded, and and all of his body could be seen, however, there was still a certain transparency to his physique, that allowed one to see right through him.

The man turned his head up towards Jedite, an unenthusiastic and unsupportive look on his face.

"Yes…" Jedite continued, "yes, I know about what happened to you. You turned traitor to Queen Beryl after… what was it that happened… oh, yes… you fell in with Molly. A human! And you call me pathetic! Falling in love with a mortal human isn't the smartest thing I've heard someone do."

"True," Nephlite answered, "it wasn't the most helpful thing to do at the time, but it showed that people like us were capable of feeling emotions other than hatred or anger. Unfortunately, it still got me killed in the end."

"It was my mistake for getting rid of him," the female voice said.

"What?" Jedite asked. "How did getting rid of a traitor end up getting you killed?!"

The voice didn't answer.

"I know about what happened to you too," he said. "You were destroyed by Queen Beryl after you tried to kill Tuxedo Mask. She had fallen in love with the over-dressed idiot, and clearly ordered that you not destroy him. Instead, you went over her head and tried to kill him anyway. Beryl then repayed you by taking your life."

He whirled around and looked up toward the top of another lamp post. There, another spectre materialized, sitting on top of it, though unaffected by the flames spurting out from under it. Another purple uniform took shape, this time with a female body inhabiting it, with long, blonde hair tied back in a thick ponytail behind her head.

"Am I right, Zoycite?" Jedite asked. "Or would this be an example of my stupidity?"

Zoycite didn't answer. She simply looked down on him with a casual, unsympathetic look on her face.

"Tell me…" said Jedite. "How did Nephlite cause your doom?"

"His death wasn't directly responsible," she said. "But it was still another step; another brick on that crooked road to my destruction. That even I can admit… and you remember just how stubborn a person I used to be."

"All to well," Jedite replied.

"And besides," she continued, jumping off the post and walking towards him, "it was my hatred towards Tuxedo Mask that drove me to disobey Queen Beryl. Afterwards, yes, that was the reason I was killed."

"But it still proves the same thing," the second voice said. "That hatred and anger only get you destroyed."

"And how would you know, Malachite?" Jedite demanded, turning to the spectre now sitting in his throne. "If I'm not mistaken, Sailor Moon destroyed you because you were weak enough to allow yourself to be destroyed! How does emotion even enter into it?"

"Because it was those emotions that made me weak," Malachite replied. "After Zoycite's death, all I could think of was avenging her death by destroying Sailor Moon and the Scouts. And as you can see, it didn't accomplish much."

"You people bore me," Jedite said, turning from him.

"You know we speak the truth, old friend," said Nephlite, walking towards him. "We're the, and I use the term lightly, living proof of what we say."

"And sooner or later," said Zoycite, "you'll learn that the hard way."

Malachite then added as he rose from Jedite's throne, "Then you'll be ready to join us here in Limbo."

"Enough!" Jedite yelled.

He instantly shot both arms above his head, and released a full force blast of energy from his hands. The flash illuminated the area, and as it dimmed, all three spectres disappeared. However, the sudden release of energy again weakened Jedite, and he dropped to his knees, then to his stomach.

"Uuuuuh…" he moaned.

He turned his body around and crawled his way back to his throne, while he still heard the spirits' taunting voices.

"Think about what we've said," Nephlite's voice said.

"It'll do you some good," added Malachite.

"See ya 'round, loser!" Zoycite said.

Her annoying cackle was the last thing Jedite heard, as he climbed back into his chair, closed his eyes, and continued his recharging process.

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~**

The evening after their mourning ceremony, the team of six friends had a celebration. They would have gone out for a night on the town, but in order to celebrate and protect their dual identities, they had to do it somewhere private.

That night, the six of them, along with Luna and Artemis, ordered a few large pizzas and some Chinese food from Serena's apartment, which was as good a place as any to order out from. Once delivered, they had themselves a feast; in honor of their victory over Jedite, and in memory of their loss of the Moonlight Knight.

"Here's to victory, guys," said Serena, holding up a glass of soda. "It's been ten years since all of this started, and we haven't lost out touch. Definitely something to be thankful for, if you ask me."

"To victory!" they chanted.

They celebrated for several hours, until at least 11:10 at night. Within that time, Serena gave a full explanation of the events transpiring in the DreamScape, leaving out a few details, but making up for it by making up a few of her own. Darien, feeling the exact same stress in the exact same situation, didn't argue with her story.

It was good night indeed. But as they say, all good things must come to an end. After they did all the celebrating they could, it was time to go home.

"Well…" Serena said, stretching her body, "I think we should call it a night. I don't know about you, but for once, I'm actually looking forward to a good night's sleep. It's been too long."

"You've got that right," Luna replied. "Because of all your worrying, I haven't gotten enough sleep either!"

Serena gave her the look.

"I've got to get back anyway," said Raye. "Fridays are usually our busiest, and Chad will get on my back if I leave him to deal with it on his own. I'll see guys later. Until next time, Meatball Head."

"See ya, Raye. You too Lita."

"See you guys."

Both Raye and Lita then walked out the door. Mina then got up out of her chair, stretched, and gave a long, satisfying yawn.

"I've got to get back to the hotel," said she. "If I'm not back by 11:30, they officially pronounce me dead and collect my insurance!"

Serena gave a short giggle at her obvious humor, than said, "See ya, Mina. Call me when you get back."

"I will," she said, as she walked out the door, with Artemis not far behind.

"I'm going to go to bed," said Amy, getting up from her seat. "I haven't got anything to do tomorrow, but even a vacationer has to go to sleep sometime or another."

"Good night, Ames," said Serena. "And for once, try to have some sweet dreams."

"I'll do my best."

She left the room, walked into her bedroom, and shut the door behind her.

After everyone had left the room, Darien got up from his seat, grabbed Serena by the waist, lifted her off her feet, and twirled her around the room.

"Finally," he said. "Some time alone with you."

Serena laughed as she was spun. "Okay, okay, I'm yours!" she said. "Just put me down!"

Darien did as she said, and put her down on her feet. He then looked deep into her blue eyes, reached down, and kissed her on the lips. Serena returned the kiss, then the two pulled away and stared at each other.

"What was that for?"

"Because I'm proud of you," he answered. "I couldn't be more proud of you."

She blushed. "Why, thank you."

"And now that everyone's gone, I'm more than willing to show you how much." he said, as he gave her another light kiss on the lips.

"Well, I'd be more than willing to let you," Serena replied. "But I hope you don't mind if I ask that you wait until tomorrow. I'm pretty tired, and I'd like nothing more than to go to bed for a few hours. Besides, I've got to go back to work tomorrow. My vacation time is up."

"All right," he said. "But tomorrow…"

"I'm all yours…" she said, kissing him. "Good night, my love."

She turned from him and walked to her bedroom door, turning back to Darien once more and giving him a loving smile. She then closed the door after her and went to bed.

Darien couldn't help but feel unworthy to have Serena in his life. He would have told her that, but she'd get on his case for complaining about mistakes he'd made in the past. And he was in mood for that at the moment Instead, he walked towards the sofa, and prepared to go to sleep as well.

"Good night, Luna," he said.

The black furry object on the floor only gave a slight wiggle, then a pair of eyes opened and wearily looked up at him.

"Good night, Darien," it said.

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~**

Five days passed.

As more and more of his energy recharged, the process of recharging became slower, but it still continued, and he could feel himself getting stronger… and stronger… and stronger… and stronger… and stronger.

Then it happened.

Jedite let out a massive scream as the last ounce of his power returned to him. The echo of his yell reached even the outer limits of the blackness around him, and bounced around the platforms below. The clouds of mist behind his throne spread apart somewhat, their consistency disturbed by his booming voice. The scream was so intense, in fact, that the floor around his throne began to crack a little.

As he screamed, he squeezed the armrests of his chair tighter and tighter, until they cracked from the excessive pressure.

His scream finally faded out, and he rose from the chair, only to fall face-first the floor. He lay there unmoving for several seconds, then slowly got back up. He tilted his head upwards, opened his eyes, and grinned evilly. Their eerie, blank white look had been fully restored, and their evil glow shone brighter than ever.

"That's so much more like it…" he said.

He got back onto his feet, and stretched out his body to its full extent, and felt his awesome power run through his bloodstream. He held his right hand before him and watched with pleasure as the armor crackled with black electricity. He lowered his arm, then walked down the stairs of his domain, and onto the bridge below.

"Now… let's see what my old friends are up to…"

He held his hands out again, and formed a white observation orb. He looked deep into it, and watched closely.

As he looked, images of each of the Sailor Scouts enjoying themselves. He saw Serena with Darien, walking hand-in-hand through a local park; he saw Raye in a shopping mall with a brown-haired man he didn't recognize; he saw Amy in Serena's apartment having a conversation on the phone; and he saw Lita and Mina in what looked like a cosmetics shop, talking with four women he also didn't recognize.

"Look at them…" Jedite hissed, the grin faded from his face. "Look at them! Enjoying themselves at their leisure… as if they really think I'm defeated! They think I'm gone for good? They think they've faced danger? They think they've seen action?"

He sliced his hand through the air, dissolving the orb. He watched as more electricity crackled through his arm.

"I'll show them action…"

He relaxed his arm, then slowly waved it across the air in front of him. As he did, six small blobs of white light trailed off his fingertips, and floated in the air. Jedite looked at each of them as each took a different form. Five took a female shape, with the sixth took that of a male. Once the formation completed itself, the five females were in the form of one Sailor Scout, Moon, Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, and Venus, while the sixth took the shape of Tuxedo Mask. Each "stood" in a straight, upright position, while still floating before Jedite.

"It seems I had a few snags in my plans before," he said. "Trying to attack them through their subconscious minds didn't work out as I'd originally figured, so I suppose a more mundane method…"

He then slashed the back of his fist across the air, smashing all six figures to smithereens.

"Will suffice."

The pieces of the figures stopped in mid-air, then floated back before Jedite, and came together to form one larger blob of floating light. Jedite waved his hand over it, and it again began to take shape, this time making one larger figure of the Sailor Scouts leader, Sailor Moon.

Jedite narrowed his sight on the figure, and curled his lip in anger.

He waved his hand over the figure, and it began to reshape itself. The human figure disappeared, and the shape of a large ant was formed, interestingly enough, with a head of blonde hair and two long ponytails. Jedite couldn't help but chuckle.

"I could crush her like an ant," he said.

He waved his hand over again, and the blonde-haired ant disappeared, and the figure of Sailor Moon reappeared.

"But that would only end her suffering…" he continued, "and make her humiliation all to brief… The utter destruction of Sailor Moon must be nothing less an masterpiece of pain, anguish, and death. And I alone am the artist to paint such a picture. To simply destroy her like that would do me less pleasure than savoring the moment as I should… Instead, I will wear her down… until there's almost nothing left…"

He held his hand over the head of the figure, and it magically shrank until it was one-eighth of the size it was before.

"And then… when she is at her weakest…"

He closed his fists and brought them together, and the figure of Sailor Moon rotated to the left and turned onto its back so that the front of the body faced upward.

"I will simply…"

He then raised his knee up, and made a motion as if breaking a large stick of wood. At the same time, the figure bent down the middle, and a large snap was heard, as if the back had been broken in two.

"break her!"

Jedite relaxed his body, and lowered his knees and arms, and stared at the broken body of Sailor Moon floating before him. He raised one eyebrow, and both eyes gave off a brief shimmer of light.

"Oh, hell," he said, "I'll just crush her like an ant."

He brushed his hand across the air, dispersing the figure into various streams of light, then started walking down the bridge, when suddenly:

"There you go again," Nephlite said, "thinking you're the greatest thing, thinking you can just waltz in and destroy everything… Well let me tell you, an attitude like that won't get you anywhere."

"Oh, not you people again," Jedite groaned. "Haven't I had enough to deal with in the last several weeks? Must I have to put up with your rambling again?"

"Not rambling," said Zoycite, "more like good advice. Use it some time."

"Why do you constantly try to avoid us, Jedite?" Malachite asked. "One would think you didn't like having our little chats together."

"Well, it looks like your not as stupid as I thought or you seemed," replied Jedite.

"Oh, I'm _so_ hurt," the spectre answered. "Coming from someone with the intelligence of a dead horse, that really hurts my feelings. And to think I wonder why you don't listen to us. You're probably too stupid to understand what we say anyway."

"If I'm such an imbecile as you say," Jedite asked, "then why am I still alive after all this time?"

"You were the lucky one," said Zoycite. "Your own stupidity got you trapped in a crystal for ten years; at least you didn't bite the biscuit like WE all did."

"Leave me alone…" said Jedite, continuing on his way.

He stopped again as Nephlite suddenly materialized in front of him.

"Get out of my way," he demanded.

He swiped his fist past him, and through Nephlite's transparent body. The spectre turned into a series of thin mist streams, which all floated through the air, and rematerialized next to the spirit of Zoycite, standing behind Jedite.

"Listen to us, Jedite," Nephlite said. "All this anger, all this lust for revenge… it simply isn't worth it! We all shared the same ideas, the same morals, the same powers, and did it help us get anywhere in life? I think not, old friend."

"You…" Jedite replied, "are no friends of mine!"

"Well, all the same," said Zoycite, "you're stuck with us, so get used to it."

"We're all part of you, you know," Nephlite added.

Jedite froze in his tracks and turned around, an annoyed but curious look on his face. "Explain to me how any of you are part of me!" he demanded. "Because I fail to see the connection!"

"Are you sure you want to know?" asked Malachite, suddenly appearing in front of him.

"Oh, I wouldn't miss this for the world!"

"Well you should already know," he said. "Like we keep saying, you already know what we say to be the truth, so wouldn't that mean that we're a part of your mind, telling you things as they are? It's that whole internal conflict thing… you tell yourself one thing, but we, the true aspects of your subconscious mind, tell you otherwise. Makes sense, don't you think?"

"On the contrary," said Jedite, "that's the most idiotic thing I've heard so far."

"Well, it's either that," Zoycite commented, "or it's proof of just how psychotic you are."

"Say whatever you want," Jedite said, turning and walking away. "It doesn't matter. You people aren't a part of me… you're nothing… but a bunch of pathetic losers…"

He stopped again as Malachite suddenly appeared before him again.

"We may be just a bunch of losers, Jed," he said, "but that at least proves the old saying…"

He leaned in closer, until he looked Jedite right in his blank eyes, and so he stared into Malachite's gray ones.

"that it takes one to know one."

Just then, Jedite thrust out his hand, and grabbed Malachite by the neck. Though only a ghost, Malachite could still feel pain racing through his spirit body. Jedite lifted him off the floor, and held him over his head, with his arms and eyes glowing.

Then, he whirled around and threw Malachite across the bridge, sending him crashing into Nephlite and Zoycite! As they three made contact, their bodies dissolved in a burst of white mist, which soon disappeared completely.

"Damn ghosts…" he muttered.

He turned and continued down the bridge, until he reached the end. He held up both his armored hands, as white electricity crackled through them. He grinned maliciously, giving his face, an evil, quite frightening distortion, the effect of which was only magnified by the flickering lights.

"Now…" he said, "time to go to work."

He held his palms forward, and opened a black portal. The flickering lights stopped, and he casually walked in, engulfing himself in the portal's black, whirlpool-like center. As he did, the portal closed.

After it did, the spirit forms of Nephlite and Zoycite rematerialized on the other end of the bridge, arms crossed, standing back to back, both looking where Jedite had entered the portal.

"Think he can even come close to getting what he wants?" Nephlite asked.

"Not a ghost of a chance!" she replied with a cackle.

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~**

Evening was just beginning to fall upon the lively city of Tokyo, Japan. The sun had eventually turned into nothing more than a glowing inferno, cowering behind the city skyline like a scared child behind a large tree. However, as the lights dimmed, the city was not about to fall asleep; in fact, things were started to liven even more, as people began their nightly routines. The malls, restaurants, and other small and large businesses alike were at their busiest hours, and people were rushing about like hyperactive insects.

And in the middle of all this hustle and bustle, gourmet chef and restaurant owner Lita Kino and actress, model, and professional singer Mina Aino, and the cat guardian Artemis walked about the streets in their own twilight get-together, for old time's sake.

**8:15 P.M.**

"So, what do you want to do?"

"I don't know; what do you want to do?"

"I asked you first."

"What are you talking about?"

"What do you mean, 'what am I talking about?' I mean, I asked you you first."

"No you didn't! I did."

"The heck you did!"

"The heck I didn't!"

"Oh, forget it…" Lita returned. "So what were we talking about?… Oh, yeah. What do you want to do?"

"You're asking me?" answered Mina.

"No, the blonde dunce standing next to you! Of course I'm asking you!"

"I don't know, what about you?"

"It amazes me how long these pointless conversations can just drag on like this…" said Artemis.

"You hush!" Mina snapped. "So, what now?"

"Let's try not to get back to that." Lita relied, stretching her arms over her head. "I feel like getting some food. How about you?"

"Sounds like a plan," said Mina. "Are there any diners or anything near here?"

"I think Serena told me about one around here," Lita said. "You know, where the ice cream parlor was."

"Oh yeah, I remember that place."

"And, even better, it's right across the park from here."

And so they walked through a small local park, which was right across the street from the restaurant and video arcade. It was a couple blocks long, but to satisfy their appetites, it was worth it.

However, Lita suddenly stopped and stared wide-eyed, as she saw someone walk out the door of the arcade; a tall, blonde man, dressed in a light blue button-up shirt, blue jeans, and wearing an apron.

"Oh, my God, it's Andrew!" she said.

"Uh-oh…" said the other two in unison, sweatdropping.

"Quick, before he sees us!" Lita cried.

She suddenly grabbed them both, and dodged behind a park bench. They hid behind it for several seconds, until Lita slowly popped her head up over the top of the bench, and stared in awe at the object of her affection.

"Whoa… is he dreamy or what?" she said, in a daze.

"Oh great, here we go," said Mina to Artemis. "Now she's gonna go through that whole routine of hers, saying how he reminds of her old boyfriend Freddie, except he's so much cooler than Freddie, because Freddie dumped her… God, I hate it when she does this…"

"That's just the thing…" said Lita, still staring over the bench. "He doesn't!"

Both Mina and Artemis turned and stared in amazement at her. "Say what?!"

"I look at him now," she said, "and I see nothing about Freddie in him… All I see is one of the coolest guys I've ever laid eyes on…"

"Well…" said Mina, "this is new." She watched her friend in a daze for several seconds, then slowly turned away and faced the cat guardian. "Hey Artemis… I think she's serious about this!"

"Are you sure?"

"I couldn't be more sure!" she said. "Think about it… when was the last time you saw Lita see a guy she liked, and he didn't remind her of that guy who dumped her? I mean, really think about it!"

Artemis considered the question for a moment. In all the time he and Mina had known Lita, they never once knew her to be this serious about a relationship before. Just about every time, in fact every time at all, when Lita was looking for that special someone, the person had, in even the most insignificant of ways, reminded her of Freddie.

"Well…" he finally answered, "what about times when she wasn't looking for a boyfriend? It could have have just hit her!"

Mina gave him a curious look. "What kind of an answer is that?"

Artemis gave a sheepish grin, then turned serious again. "Okay, so maybe you're right," he said. "But even if she IS serious about Andrew for once in her life, there's still one thing to consider… Rita."

"Oh… yeah." Mina had failed to consider the fact that Andrew already had a girlfriend. "Well, what about-"

"Um…" Artemis interrupted, "are you sure we should be talking about this while Lita's right next to us?"

Mina turned to Lita, was still sitting next to her, still in a daze, looking over at Andrew, who waved politely to a girl passing by.

"She's fine where she is," she said. "Now about Rita. What if he and Rita aren't still together?"

"How could that be?"

"Oh, come on, Artemis. You can't tell me you haven't noticed these kinds of things. Like how Andrew rarely talks about their relationship with others? And how we haven't even heard him say her name at all? If you ask me, that's a good sign that things aren't going as smoothly as he might have us believe."

"And how would you know?" Artemis replied. "To my memory, your luck with the opposite gender hasn't been all that much better! In fact, the only serious relationship you've ever had is with that weirdo who's starring in your movie!"

"Fine, to heck with that idea," said Mina, turning from him. "And besides, he's not a weirdo; he's a little eccentric, but that's why I like him. And for your information, Mr. Doesn't-Consider-For-a-Single-Second-What-Comes-Ou t-of-His-Mouth, before I came to Tokyo, I already had a boyfriend, who I gave up so I could come here and fight for the good of the planet. Remember that? Or has all that empty space in that coconut you call a skull finally having its full effect on you?"

Artemis turned as blue as a raspberry and turned away, but the more mature side of him soon kicked in. "Okay, so I like the guy a little too," he said. "But let's get back to Lita and Andrew."

"Must you two talk about my personal life while I'm sitting right next to you?!"

Both Mina and Artemis turned towards Lita, who sat next to them with her arms crossed, giving them both a look. Both gave an embarrassed smile, then backed away several inches.

"Look, Lita," said Mina, "if you like the guy so much, why don't you just go up and talk to him?"

"Because," she replied, "like Artemis said, there's still Rita to worry about. Sure, they show those breakup signs, but taking advantage of something like that is just plain low… even for someone as lovelorn as me."

"Well, at least stop sitting here giving him the googly-eyes from a mile away and go up there!" Artemis demanded. "Facing him now is better than complaining about your pathetic social life!"

"Oh, fine!" Lita said, getting to her feet. "Let's go."

The other two got up, and all three started walking towards the arcade.

However, before any of them could take a first step, a bright burst of light flashed from behind them, followed by an explosion, sending all three flying forward, and leaving a smoking hole in the ground!

As the three of them got up from the sudden attack, they turned around and looked up into the sky, and saw Jedite floating above them, his hands glowing brightly.

"Sorry for the surprise attack," he said, "but like they say, all's fair in love and war… and in this case, I put extra emphasis on WAR!"

He gave a maniacal grin, as his eyes gave off a white glow to compliment to one surrounding his hands. He then shot his hands forward again, shooting a beam of evil energy straight at them.

All three desperately shielded their eyes from the light.

******~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~**

**8:20 P.M.**

"Hurry up, Chad, I haven't got all day here!"

"Would you give me a break, Raye? I can barely see where I'm going! Why do you make me carry all this stuff anyway?"

"What are you complaining about?" Raye asked. "You don't have any more packages than I do!"

"Yeah, but you gave me all the big ones!"

Raye simply rolled her eyes, gave him a look, and muttered under her breath, "Some things never change…"

"I heard that!" Chad snapped. "And I could see you giving me that look!"

"I thought you said you couldn't see where you were going!"

"Close enough," he said.

"Oh, stop it," she said. "We're almost home anyway. I would think after living here for so long, you'd know your way around the place by now."

"Sure, but only when I can see where I'm going!"

She groaned, and continued up the sidewalk, until she made it to the front door, while she listened toChad prattle and complain.

"What do you need so many clothes for anyway?" he asked.

"I outgrow them!" she answered.

"Come on, you don't grow that fast!"

"Oh, quit your complaining already!" she returned. "Besides, we're at the front door, so all you have to do is walk through and you're done."

"Like that's the first time I've heard that!"

She unlocked and opened the door, then casually walked in, while Chad struggled with the large packages in his possession. The door closed behind Raye as she entered the the temple, while Chad couldn't even lift his hand to reach the knob, for fear of losing his grip on the boxes.

"Uh… Raye?" he said. "A little help here?"

"Fine, fine…" she groaned, turning and opening the door for him.

"Thank you," he said, as he slowly walked in.

"Hurry it up, you're letting the bugs in."

He made it in, and he dropped the boxes onto the kitchen table. He then plopped into a nearby chair. He huffed and puffed, and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"I'd love to see the look on your grandfather's face if he could see the credit card bill for all this!" he said.

"It's not that much stuff, Chad," Raye replied. "And besides, you know as well as I do that my dad always covered those bills. With all his 'important' political campaign work, what time does he have to worry about money, or even more, how I spend it?"

"You honestly think your dad didn't care enough about you?" Chad asked, surprised to hear her say such things about her own father.

"I don't think, I know," she said. "He never cared enough to ask how my day at school was He's always so engrossed in his work, I… oh, forget about it. I don't even want to get into it."

She turned and slammed her hands on the counter, and drooped her head downward. Any time she had to talk about her father she felt it was one too many.

"Look," she said. "I've tortured you enough for today. How about you put all these boxes in my room, while I get dinner ready. Once you're done with that, you can get back in here and help me again. Okay?"

"All right," he said. "You sure you should be working over something hot? You did just recently come out of a coma."

"Don't tell me you're still worried about me," she said, turning to him and smirking.

"Of course I am!" he said.

Raye couldn't help but blush. "Why Chad…" she said. "I didn't know you cared."

"Yeah," he thought, "more than you think."

It was true. Ever since Chad first saw Raye on the steps of the Cherry Hill Temple, he instantly knew there was nothing he wouldn't do for her. He loved her that much. He was worried, however, that she didn't know just how much. Sure, she knew he had those feelings for her, but the knowledge of how strong they were was something altogether different. Unfortunately, it was clear that she plain and simple didn't have the same feelings for him, and it wasn't his place to make her feel that way. They had always been friends, and he supposed that was how it would remain.

Or would it?

Raye looked at Chad, and couldn't help but notice how handsome she thought he looked in the light of the kitchen. In fact, he seemed to look pretty good in any light. When she'd first met him, she thought he was just a slacker; especially since his parents were rich. But in the years she'd known him, she realized he works as hard the next man.

She had always thought of him as a good friend, and cared for him just as much, but in the last few years, she noticed certain… changes… in the way she looked at him. Her feelings for him certainly took a drastic transformation, but she wasn't about to express them to him… for now.

As Chad began to take a large package out of the room, a spark of electricity from the ceiling caught his attention out of the corner of his eye. He turned around and put the box back on the table, then stared curiously up at the light bulb in the ceiling, and watched as the white glow as it flickered several times.

"Hey, Raye," he said. "How long has that light been there?"

Raye turned from what she was doing and looked up at the ceiling. The light flickered several more times.

"I don't know; three, four years maybe," she answered. "Why do you ask?"

Suddenly, the room went pitch black as the light burned out.

"Oh, no reason," Chad replied.

"Okay, we need another light," said Raye. "I think there's an extra one over here…"

"You mean over in the cupboard?"

"Yeah, if you move over to the right… ow! I mean your right!"

"I did go to the right!"

"Well either way, you went in the wrong direction. Now… hey, let go of my arm!"

"I didn't grab your arm!"

"Then whose hand IS this?!"

"All right, what if I…"

"Maybe if I go this way…"

"While I…"

"Watch where you're going!"

"Me? Why don't you watch where you're going?"

"Okay, How about I just…"

"Hey, look out!"

"Whoa!"

"Ack!"

Plop!

Several seconds later, the light came back on, and anyone who suddenly walked in would see both Raye and Chad, laying on the floor, one on top of the other, with Raye looking down on Chad, whose back was to the floor.

"Hmm…" she said, looking up at the light. "Must have just been a short circuit."

Chad didn't answer, for he was too busy admiring the way Raye looked in the light. From the way he saw things, her face was half-concealed by shadow, and a white aura surrounded the outline of her head. She looked like an angel.

He thoughtlessly answered her, "Uh… yeah… must be…"

She looked down on him again, and caught sight of his eyes, and looked deep into them. Suddenly, for what seemed like no reason, she was mesmerized by the sight of him. The feelings she had been having for him suddenly resurfaced, and again flooded her mind.

Then, as they stared at each other, the distance between their heads slowly began to grow smaller, and smaller. Raye closed her eyes, as she prepared for what seemed like the inevitable.

However, as their lips were about to touch, Raye regained her senses, and she stopped, and backed away, as she gave a nervous laugh.

"Uh…" she said, sort of at a loss for words, "I'll… I'll just get up off you now…"

Chad too came to his senses, then replied (while cursing to himself in his head), "Um… yeah, sure."

She got to her feet, and offered her hand to help him. Chad took it, and as well got to his feet.

"Uh… just so we don't encounter any unwanted gossip," she said nervously, "let's… NOT tell anyone about that little… incident…"

"That pretty much goes without saying," he said, blushing a little.

He walked back over to the table and picked up the large box, and carried it down the hall towards Raye's bedroom. Meanwhile, Raye took a cooking pot from the cupboard, filled it with water, put it on the stove, and boiled the water. Afterwards, she brought the heat down, and opened a package of Ramen noodles, and poured the contents into the hot water. She walked away for a moment to get a spoon to stir, when suddenly…

"Raye…"

A voice, a small, faint, almost unnoticeable sound, caught her ears. She perked up her head, and looked all around her looking for the source of the noise, but say nothing. It was then that Chad walked back into the room to get another box.

"Hey," she said, "did you just whisper my name a second ago?"

"Uh… no," he said. "Why?"

"I could have sworn I heard someone whisper my name just now," she explained.

Chad gave a slight smirk. "Maybe all that shopping causes brain damage."

"Ha ha, very funny. Just keep moving those boxes."

Chad gave a sarcastic salute, then grabbed several more boxes and headed down the hall again. Meanwhile, Raye found what she was looking for, and turned back to the pot, and started stirring. Then…

"Raye…"

She looked up and around again.

"There it is again!" she said out loud.

"What is?" called Chad.

"You didn't hear that?"

"Hear what?"

"Oh, never mind," she said, turning back to her work, as she thought, "Maybe I have been doing a little too much shopping."

She continued stirring the noodles around, then she turned and got some bowls out of the cabinet. Chad walked back in, grabbed another couple of boxes, then walked out again.

"You're sure my coma theory doesn't have anything to do with it?" he called.

"Yes, I'm sure," she answered. "Chad, I know you care, but for now, shut up."

"You're the boss."

Raye was fetching some chopsticks from the silverware drawer, when suddenly…

"Sailor Mars…"

Now she knew it wasn't Chad. Not only was he too far away for a whisper to reach her ears, but he was also not aware of her dual identity as a Sailor Scout. She looked all around her, for this sudden calling to her was scaring her. She realized whatever message was being sent was sent to her and her alone, for only someone with her "psychic" abilities would have been able to hear a call like this.

"Who are you?" she whispered back.

"The question isn't 'Who am I?" the voice answered, "it's 'where am I?'…"

"Okay… so where are you?"

She suddenly heard the unmistakable sound of Chad yelling, and the sounds of a struggle going on in the next room. Raye dropped the bowl she was carrying, and ran out of the kitchen, while the bowl shattered on the tile floor.

She raced into the living room, where she froze in place as she saw Jedite, standing ten feet before her, with Chad trapped in a headlock.

She motioned to run at him, when he suddenly tightened his grip on Chad. Chad struggled for air, and tried to free himself from the general's grip, but could not.

"Not another step," Jedite hissed, "or I break his neck."

"What do you want here?" she demanded.

"You, of course," he answered. "And all your friends as well. One would think that rather obvious, don't you agree?"

"Just let him go, Jedite," she begged, "and I promise you can do what you want with me."

"I would, but I find it so much more pleasing to watch you in worry of your friend here."

"Could somebody please tell me what the hell is going on here?!" Chad asked.

"You be quiet!" Jedite demanded.

"Stay calm, Chad," Raye said to him, as she slowly reached into her back pocket. "I promise, everything will be fine."

"Don't count on it!" Jedite answered, as he held up his other hand, sending sparks of energy through his fist.

Then, Raye grabbed her transformation pen from her pocket, and quickly raised it high above her head.

"Mars… Star…"

"Don't even!" said Jedite, as he suddenly threw Chad at her!

Chad flew into Raye's body, and they were both sent crashing to the floor in a heap. Raye lost both her concentration, and her grip on the transformation pen. She got back up from the floor, and looked around for it, seeing it under a nearby table. She ducked to the floor and grabbed it.

Unfortunately, it wasn't enough, as Jedite threw forth his glowing hand and shot a blast of energy at her.

******~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~**

**8:25 P.M.**

"So how has Tokyo been since you got there?"

"Oh, just wonderful!" Amy replied. "I've always loved the summers here, so I picked the perfect to come back to it all. I wish you could have come with me, though."

"You know I had to work," Greg said. "I've been under a lot of pressure ever since I asked for that raise; my superiors have had me under supervision like a beetle in a bug jar. It's actually pretty fun… as having a brain tumor."

"Stop being so dramatic," she said, switching her grip on the phone. "You told me for months how you were going to ask for that raise, and how you knew they were going to lean in on you extra hard if you did, so it won't do you much good to complain about it now."

"Yeah, I know," said he, "but that doesn't mean I can't anyway."

Amy giggled. She loved Greg's humor, either in person, or when miles away from him.

"So how is everyone over there?" Greg asked. "Neither of us have even mentioned them yet."

"Oh, just fine," she said. "Mina's career is flying off the map, Lita's restaurant may be going international, Raye and Chad are dealing with some hoodlum problems, and Darien is moving back to Tokyo in a month."

"Nice idea," he said.

"Serena certainly thought so."

Greg's tone suddenly turned serious. "So what's the news with Jedite?"

Amy's eyes widened as he asked the question.

"Uh…" she said, "what do you mean?"

"Don't pretend, Amy," he said. "You know I can tell what goes on, even if I can't see it."

"Sorry; forgot who I was talking to."

"I saw some serious stuff in my dreams," Greg explained. "I saw this guy looming over all five of you, and one by one knocking you out the way. Finally, Serena took the guy out, but what frightened me is that he knocked you out first. Is everything… you know, okay?"

"Everything's fine, Greg," she assured him. "I was in coma for several days, but it's all over now. Whatever problem Jedite was causing, we all took care of it. No need for you to worry."

"That's a relief," he said. "I honestly was pretty scared at first, but once I saw how that dream ended, my fears pretty much faded."

"See?" Amy asked. "Everything's been taken care of."

"How much more time do you have before you come back?" Greg asked.

"About another two and a half weeks," she said, looking at a nearby calendar. "Then I have to catch a flight back to Hong Kong at 5:30 in the morning. Can you believe that?"

"You couldn't catch a later flight?"

"It was the only one available," she explained. "It was either that, or stay here for another two months. And you know I can't stay away from you for that long…"

She heard Greg give a soft laugh over the phone line, when suddenly a beep was heard.

"Uh-oh," he said. "I've got a call waiting. Can you hold?"

"Actually, I told Serena I'd meet her later tonight," she answered. "I'll call you back."

"You do that. Besides, I was actually planning to go out with a friend later anyway. We'll talk later."

"I love you," she said.

"I love you too. Bye."

They both hung up their ends of the phone. Amy got up from the couch, and stretched out her body. She walked over to the window, and leaned on the glass, looking out over the city skyline, sighing with content.

"I can't wait for the day," she said to herself, "when that man will be my husband."

She closed her eyes, and envisioned exactly what the big day would be like; she and Greg standing side by side at the alter, with a minister before them; Darien would be the best man, Serena the maid of honor, and Raye, Lita, and Mina as the bride's maids.

Her only wish now was that they could afford to do it all.

She walked back to the couch and sat down in it, when suddenly a soft scratching sound caught her attention. She perked up her head and looked around, but saw no one around her. She walked around the room, and as she moved closer to the door of her bedroom, she heard how much it sounded like someone scratching on glass. She put her ear up to the door, and realized the sound was emanating from within!

"Hmm…" she thought. "Must be Luna trying to get in. I'll just open up the window…"

She walked into the room, and the sound became louder, indicating it was where the sound was coming from somewhere inside. She moved toward the window, which was covered by the curtains draped overhead, and the sound grew even louder. That proved it was coming from right outside.

"Hold on a second, Luna," she said.

She opened up the curtains, then gasped and jumped backwards as she saw something totally unexpected.

Floating outside the window, scraping his metal-plated arm up and down the glass, was Jedite, eyes glowing, cape flapping in the wind, and mouth cracked in a grin.

"Peek-a-boo…" he whispered.

His armored hands suddenly gave off a bright white glow, and he shot in through the window like a bullet from a gun, as Amy covered herself in desperate protection and screamed for her life.

******~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~**

**8:30 P.M.**

That very night, both Serena and Darien were invited to her parents' house for dinner. While Serena seemed rather reluctant to have Darien and her father in the same building at the same time, the both of them accepted the invitation, as Serena felt she owed the opportunity to her mother. Ever since she'd first met him, she had wanted Darien over for dinner, however two things had prevented that in the past; the temporary break-up, and Mr. Tsukino. He was reluctant to have Darien in his house, but with his wife making the preparations… well, let's just say that in the end he had a change of heart.

They all had a wonderful evening, and a excellent dinner (including Luna, was taken along with them), with no attempts from Mr. Tsukino on Darien's life. They talked on how things were going at the moment; Serena's father had received a promotion at his company, her mother had just gotten a job at a local bakery, and just recently, Sammy had been looking for an apartment with his girlfriend since the fifth grade, Mika.

Yes, things were overall enjoyable, with the exception of the occasion taunt, tease, or blatant insult from Sammy, such as how Serena and Darien had been dating for ten years, and not once mentioned the word "marriage". Incidentally, Serena almost committed fratricide because he brought it up.

After dinner, Serena and Darien wanted some time alone. After convincing her father not to try and spy on them, they headed into the backyard, where a hammock was hung between two large trees. The moon and stars up above provided a beautiful, romantic setting for the two of them, and they looked into the sky, while holding each other in their arms.

"You have a wonderful family," Darien said.

"You're talking about my family, right?" she asked.

"Of course I am," he said. "Your brother may annoy you, your dad may not trust me, and your mom might be the only sane member of the group, but I'm sure each of them loves you just as much as any of your friends do."

"I know," she replied. "I just wish I could hear it from them and not you."

"You're lucky to have them, y'know," he said. "I never got to experience family life like that."

"I remember," said she. "You told me how your parents both died in a car accident, and you survived it with total amnesia."

"It wouldn't be the first time, either," he said. "Right after that final fight with Queen Beryl, I couldn't remember a thing; not about the Moon Kingdom, the NegaVerse, Tuxedo Mask… not even you."

"It wasn't your fault," Serena told him. "We all lost our memories for a while; but we all got them back too, so there's not much reason for complaining."

Darien sighed, as he held Serena in his arms. "I'd do it all again…" he suddenly said.

"Really?"

"Yeah… So many memories, so many adventures… it's hard to keep track of it all. If I had the chance… that one single chance, I'd go all the way back to the beginning, and live it all over again; the times I met each of our close friends, the times I came at just the right moment to help save the day… even the day I fell in love with you, I'd do it all over… And if I had that one chance, I'd go back, live it the way I wanted it from the beginning…"

"Don't we all," Serena replied.

"Make everything right that ever went wrong," he continued, "even the things I did that made things turn sour on us…"

The contented, satisfied look on Serena's face disappeared, and she looked curiously at her boyfriend. She then rolled her eyes and gave an annoyed sigh.

"Uh!" she groaned. "You're not still hung up on the whole break-up thing, are you?"

"I was an idiot," he replied. "I knew what I was doing, but I kept up the charade like I had a hole in my head. That's what it felt like too."

"Darien…"

"And the saddest thing about it all is," he interrupted, "I still had the same feelings for you. Never once did I ever lose my love for you; but still, I pretended that I didn't, and showed no emotion whatsoever when you started to cry. I didn't want to do it, but for your sake, I felt I had to. And it eats me up inside to think that I kept it going for so long."

"Get off it!" Serena finally snapped. "Darien, you don't have to keep going on about it. We're together now; that's all that matters. I've forgiven you, the others have forgiven you… it seems the only one left to forgive is yourself."

"I'm trying to, Serena," he said. "You know I am."

"Well, you're not trying hard enough," she said. "Darien, if you don't leave it behind, you'll never be able to forgive yourself for any other dumb mistake you do. You hear what I'm saying?"

Darien smiled at her and let out a silent laugh. "I hear you…" he answered.

"Good," she said, moving in closer to him. "Now stop talking like that before I have to kick your butt."

He let out another laugh, this time louder than the first. It seemed no matter what the situation, Serena's humor could always brighten Darien's day, even on the grayest of gray days. Just one of things he loved about her.

"I needed that," he said.

"I know," she replied.

She looked back up at the moon up above.

"Brings back a lot of memories, doesn't it?" asked Darien.

"Sure does," said she, as they both looked into that large glowing crescent moon in the sky. Her mind went backwards, as images from the past flooded her mind. Countless memorable scenes replayed themselves; the final battle with Queen Beryl; the first and last meeting with Allen and Ann; the defeat of Prince Diamond and the Dark Moon family, and many others. Now, however, one in particular came to mind.

"Remember that day when we found out about each other?"

"Who could forget?" Darien said, reminiscing. "Zoycite challenged me to a dual for all seven of the Rainbow Crystals. I wasn't in any condition to fight that day, but I needed them so I could figure a few things out."

"We met each other along the way," Serena continued, "and I saw that bleeding shoulder of yours, so I decided to follow you. I tracked you down all the way to the Starlight Tower…"

"And then when I was sucked inside, so were you," he said. "We had that little opening argument with Zoycite, then were both trapped inside the elevator. Zoycite sent that fire blast down the shaft, and you were forced to transform into Sailor Moon while I was standing there."

"Hey, it was either that, or get fried," she replied.

"Personally," Darien said, "I'm glad you made the choice you did."

Serena gave a delighted giggle. "Now that's the Darien I fell in love with," she said.

She reached over and held him little closer. Darien gave her a light kiss on the forehead, then held her a little closer as well. All was silent for the next few moments, as they both continued looking up into the sky, until finally:

"You do know your dad is still watching us, right?"

"Let him," she said. "I'm not afraid of showing how I feel about you."

Darien looked away, and the smiled faded from his face as he considered the statement. Serena looked over at him.

"What is it?"

"That's something else I've noticed…" he said.

"What is it now?"

"The way we show our relationship with other people," he said, still thinking. "You know I love you, right?"

"That's the dumbest question I've ever heard; of course I know that!"

"But how often have I really shown it?"

Serena's eyes widened as she couldn't answer the question. She was starting to see his point, which was surprising, considering he hadn't even made one yet.

"Think about it," he continued. "We both know how we feel about each other, but much do I really show my feelings for you. You know, in ways that anyone can see?" He waited for her to answer, but she still somewhat at a loss for words. "Remember what I told you about my college days? How the people in my dorm room didn't believe that you and I were dating?"

"Yeah, I remember," she answered. "Why was that?"

"Because I didn't have any pictures of you there," he explained. "Sure, I did have them, but they were locked away in bedroom, where no one could see them. In all the years we've been together, I've never really shown my love for you, except when we're alone."

Serena considered what he was saying, and realized that he was pretty much right.

"And if you ask me," he finished, "there's something about it that's wrong."

That's when she had had enough.

"You want to know something I've noticed?" she asked.

"What?"

"You complain too much about stupid things you've done in the past!" she snapped.

Darien looked at her with a wide-eyed stare.

"You let yourself dwell on your your mistakes," she continued. "You feel everything about them is so much your fault, that it starts to eat you up from the inside out. Remembering every single little detail about them only makes it worse than before."

Darien thought about her words as she spoke them.

"Eventually," she said, "it eats up so much of your mind and soul, that it finally leaves you a hollow, empty shell of a man, filled only with feelings of guilt and remorse that you don't even need to have in the first place."

She then turned her head to him, then grabbed his head and turned it so that she could look him square in the eyes.

"Is any of this sinking in?"

Darien smiled at her.

"You know…" he said with a nervous chuckle. "You're right. How long have I been doing this?"

"Sometimes it seems interminable," she said.

"I don't know why I do it," he said. "I just feel so… so…"

"Guilty about what you done?"

"Yeah, and I can't help but feel that way."

"People make mistakes. It's what makes people people. If they didn't make those mistakes, things just wouldn't be the same. As far as that whole 'showing the relationship' problem, since when have I really cared how much you show it? As long as you love me, Darien, that's all that concerns me. Besides, in the time you've been in Tokyo lately, you've shown it more than ever, so it kind of even things out."

She waited for to answer, but he didn't, so she continued:

"You're not perfect; but I wouldn't want you any other way."

"Thank you," he said.

They looked into the sky again for a while. Suddenly a white streak of light zoomed across the sky, making a trail right under the moon up above them, streaming past the motionless stars. Serena caught sight of it and followed its path with her eyes.

"Look, a shooting star!" she said. "Now you've got to make a wish."

Darien was silent for several seconds, as he watched the stream of light make its way across the air.

"No… I don't need to…" he said, turning towards Serena. "You already came true."

Serena slowly gave him a loving smile, and the two reached toward each other, and shared a passionate kiss on the lips. They pulled away from one another afterward, and looked each other in the eyes.

"I love you…" Darien said, "my Princess of the Moon."

"And I love you…" she replied, "my mysterious masked man."

They shared another kiss, then held each other, tighter and closer than ever.

"Are you two done with this Hallmark moment?" a sinister voice suddenly said.

Darien and Serena took their eyes off one another at the sound of the voice. They looked upward toward the trees, from where the voice emanated. Serena gasped, as she saw, standing on a high tree branch, Jedite, arms crossed, eyes glowing, and cape flapping in the breeze.

"Because I can't stand any more of this sentimental bull!" he finished.

He raised his hands forward, as they started giving off a black light. He then shot them forward, sending a bright blast of energy at them both.

Darien desperately covered Serena from the blast as she screamed in fright.

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~**

The events occurring in the next several hours are indescribable. Jedite's wrath was unmatched, as the once beautiful city of Tokyo suffered became nothing more than his playground, using the people of the city as targets to vent his rage. However, there weren't enough to people to vent all of it.

The sky was covered in greyish-black clouds, so that neither sun nor moon nor sky could be seen at all. Every building in the city was in ruins; some were burnt to a crisp, others were toppled over, while others were torn in half. Pieces of rubble littered the ground and the streets, as nothing that was once here existed as it did before… or at least it didn't exist enough to be recognized.

And in the midst of it, one victim of the devastation was trying to claw her way out, or at least get out far enough before her air supply ran out.

Finally, with one good, hard, forceful shove with both her arms, Serena moved one last, large piece of rubble from on top of her, and clawed her way out of the debris around her. As her feet touched the ground, that is, the debris piled over it, she fell to her knees, then plopped onto her stomach, huffing and puffing as if she'd been on a respirator for a month. She moaned in pain, then slowly sat up where she was. She wiped the sweat from her forehead, then opened her eyes to see around. Her vision was blurred at first from the lack of oxygen, but quickly focused in.

What she saw made her wish she hadn't opened her eyes.

"Oh my God," she said, still huffing.

She looked all around her, and was horrified to say the least. The house, or what she was her house, was completely destroyed, with only pieces of the foundation left behind to even suggest a house had been there. The other houses in the area too were demolished, but not as much as her own. She got up, and opened her eyes completely, so that she could get a full view of things. There was no doubt in her mind that this was Jedite's doing.

"Darien?" she called. "Anybody?"

Her voice echoed back at her, as the only thing that replied was the whistling breeze.

"Hello?" she called again. "Darien? Luna?"

Suddenly, a soft, labored moan caught her ears. She whirled around and looked for its source but didn't find anything. The moan was heard again, this time louder. Serena could have sworn it sounded almost like a meow.

Just then, she saw a small section of the rubble moving slightly out of the corner of her eye, and she turned to her left, where she clearly saw what she thought she did. She rushed over to where the debris was moving, and immediately started moving pieces back and forth, despite her depletion of energy.

Finally, she removed one last piece, and there, lying on her side and looking very weak, was Luna the cat guardian.

"Luna!" she cried, as she picked her up out of the hole.

The cat opened her eyes halfway, and looked towards her.

"Serena…" she weakly said. "Thank heavens you're all right…"

"Me?" she replied. "It's you who's lucky to be alive! Are you okay?"

Luna attempted to move, but as soon as she moved her front right leg, she grunted in pain and gave up. Serena lay her down on the ground, and examined the sore appendage. When she touched a certain area, Luna grunted again. Serena, though being no medical expert, could tell this wasn't right.

"I think your ankle is sprained," she said. "You'll have to keep off it for a while."

"I'll be fine," said Luna. "Where is Darien?"

"I don't know," she replied, as she got up from the ground and took a look around her. She then called out, "Darien?" her voice again echoed, with no other response. "Darien?"

"There may be the possibility that he's…" said the cat.

"Luna, don't you even think it!" Serena snapped, turning and scowling at her. "I know he's out there somewhere."

She turned completely around, and looked toward another area of the backyard. There were several burned areas of the rubble piles, with small pieces scattered around, and several black-flamed fires burning in different place, suggesting a battle had taken place here recently. Serena walked over and felt the ground around the area.

"It's still warm," she said. "Whatever happened here, it didn't happen too long ago."

She looked around again, and saw a hole in the rubble, identical to the one she dug to get herself out, and the one made to get Luna out, only this one was larger, showing that whoever made it was considerably larger as well.

"Looks like Darien made his way out, and ran for it," she said.

"Why would he do such a thing?" asked Luna, mustering some of her strength and turning onto her stomach.

"From what I can tell," Serena explained, "Darien got out, and was attacked by Jedite, which explains the fires and the burn marks. No surprise that he'd forget if anyone else was here. If that's the case… I'm just glad he's okay."

"Him?" asked Luna. "What about us?"

"Luna, we're lucky enough to still be alive," she replied. "Most everyone in Tokyo wasn't so lucky."

"Did you ever stop to consider that we may be the only ones left?"

"I find it quite a coincidence that both of us are still here," Serena said. "And that hole over there is proof enough for me that Darien made it out alive too. Right now, I can only assume that the others are still out there too."

She turned and saw a hill of debris piles up next to the house's foundation. She walked up on top of it, and looked into the city in front of her (or what remained of it). In the distance, she could see what she thought was her apartment building.

Suddenly, in her mind, she heard an echo of a scream of horror, and the image of her aqua-haired friend, a terrified look on her face, flashed past her eyes. Serena gasped at the sight and sound of it.

"Amy!" she cried.

"What?" asked Luna. "What is it?"

"It's Amy," Serena answered. "She's alive; I know it!"

As she spoke, she walked down the hill towards the building, while Luna wearily got to her feet, and, while keeping off her bad leg, tried her best to follow her. However, as soon as she reached the top of the hill, she accidentally stepped on her sprained ankle, stumbled, and rolled the rest of the way down the hill, cursing in cat language all the way.

Serena stopped and turned to her downed cat companion, then walked over and picked her up in her arms.

"How about I carry you, old friend?" she asked. "For old time's sake."

"Thank you," Luna replied.

The both of them them turned and headed off towards the apartment building.

As they approached the building, the effect of Jedite's wrath was truly expressed. Many of the surrounding buildings were completely blown away, others were toppled over, while still others were torn in half. Serena's apartment building, on the other hand, looked even worse than any of them.

"Well, we're here," said Serena. "The only problem now is getting inside."

"Not to mention if Amy is even still in there," said Luna, who was draped over Serena's shoulder.

Serena looked towards the rooftop. The roof was gone, of course, leaving about three-fourths of the building itself left.

"My apartment was on the twelfth floor," Serena said. "From what I can tell, there are at least thirteen floors still standing, which means my apartment is still there, and Amy might still be inside."

She gently put Luna on the ground, and started walking towards the building, towards where the front door used to be.

"Are you sure about this?" the cat guardian called. "I don't know about you, but I don't trust the way that stairway looks."

She was especially correct in saying this, for one wall of the building was completely ripped off, exposing some of the inside of the building. Whatever wasn't was concealed by large piles of debris. Of the area that was exposed, there was the stairway, that was precariously hanging off the side of the building, with most of it looking very weak-structured, and anything else just plain not being there.

"Okay, so I won't take the stairs," Serena replied. "No problem."

She pointed to another part of the face of the building. There was a massive mountain of debris piled up against the building, leading upward about forty feet to a hole in the side.

"You must be joking!"

"My friends are in danger, Luna," Serena said. "No laughing matter, if you ask me."

On that remark, she proceeded toward the mountain, placed her hands on it, stepped up, made sure she had a good, solid grip, and started climbing upward. She slowly made her way towards the hole, only slightly slipping once or twice. She made an almost flawless climb, until she reached the hole, and carefully stepped inside it.

Before she entered, she turned to Luna on the ground, and gave a thumbs-up sign, followed by a wink. She then climbed into the hole head first and disappeared.

"Do be careful, Serena…" the cat pleaded to herself.

Inside the hole, Serena made a gradual climb upward towards the twelfth floor, while being squeezed on all sides the tight tunnel.

"Ow!… Ooh!… Ah, son-of-a…"

On the way, her body was poked by various objects stuck in the debris, some of which were objects belonging to her neighbors. Meanwhile, she continued the climb up the tunnel, carefully avoiding sharp-looking rocks and other various objects that would undoubtedly cause her some unnecessary pain. Once however, she didn't move carefully enough, and one jagged rock caught part of the sleeve of her T-shirt and tore some of it off.

"Ah, geez…"

At another floor, she saw what looked like an old waffle iron stuck in the debris.

"Hey… I was wondering what happened to that thing…"

Finally, she reached what she thought was the twelfth floor; she wouldn't have had any choice to keep climbing anyway, as this was the top of the tunnel. Serena climbed out of the hole and stood up, looking all around.

She carefully walked down the hallway, towards where her apartment would be should it have been the right floor. The floor creaked and cracked a little with every step, making her more and more nervous.

She reached the end of the hallway, into a large apartment, with a big hole in the wall where the front window would be. The floor was covered in rubble at least three feet high, and any and all furniture was gone.

From the view outside the window, Serena could tell this was her apartment.

"Amy?" she called, slowly stepping around. There was no answer.

She walked in and headed towards where the window was, looking out upon the ruined city, and through what remained of her apartment, searching for any sign of her aqua-haired friend. She stopped about five feet in front of the hole in the wall, and looked all around.

That's when she got her sign.

Without catching her attention, something came up from out of the rubble and grabbed Serena's leg! Serena shrieked with fright, then crashed to the floor, where her head hung out over the edge of the hole, looking down in horror in the ground over 120 feet below! She held her breathfor a moment, then carefully climbed back inside.

She rolled her body over and looked at her leg, and gasped as she saw a hand sticking out of the debris, holding onto it!

Instantly, Serena rushed over to where the hand was sticking out, and started pushing and tossing rocks back and forth. Meanwhile, she felt a slight rumbling in the floor below her, but that wasn't what she was concerned with at this point. She continued moving the rocks, until finally, the head and chest of Amy Mizuno was revealed.

"Amy!" Serena cried.

"Serena!" she said. "Help me out of here!"

She moved several more rocks, then grabbed hold of Amy's arm and pulled. As she did, the rumble increased to a noticeable shake, but still she wasn't concerned. She pulled harder and harder, until all of Amy's body was free of the rubble pile. But just as she did, the shaking increased for a moment, and the floor underneath where Amy lay fell out from under her! Thankfully, by then Amy was out, and tightly in Serena's arms, both staring in disbelief at what had just happened.

She then turned back to Serena with a horrified look on her face. "We've got to get out of here," she said. "The structure of this place hasn't got much longer!"

They let go of each other, got to their feet, and started heading back out the door, but instead were forced to grab hold of each other again, as the rumble increased again, and the entire building starting shaking violently!

"This way!" Serena ordered, running out the door, with Amy close behind her.

They made their way down the hallway back towards the hole, as the floor under them started falling away and they ran. Up above, the ceiling started falling as well. They reached the hole, which had expanded in size since Serena first climbed out of it.

"Come on!" she said.

"Are you sure it's safe?" asked Amy.

At the sound of a loud cracking, they looked to the ceiling, as a large crack was forming down the middle, revealing a large pile of debris about to fall through!

"Have you got a better idea?"

"I suppose not!" Amy cried, jumping down the hole.

"Hey, wait for me!"

They slid down the hole in slide-like fashion, while the upper half of the building completely broke apart, and the rubble pile fell through the ceiling, rolling down the hole after them! They slid clear down to the other end of the hole, falling out the side of the building towards the ground below!

"Serena! Amy!" the cat guardian cried.

The foundation of the building then couldn't take it any more. A few loud bursts of concrete later, and the building fell to the ground and crumbled like dry clay. A massive cloud of dust was kicked up, and the entire area was blanketed in a brown-white fog.

After several minutes, the dust settled and cleared away, revealing an even larger rubble pile where the building was. Two areas of the pile moved, and Serena and Amy both climbed out, moaning in pain. The events that passed hours ago were more than enough; now it was really starting to hurt. The two of them stood up and brushed herself off, and checking their bodies where they hurt to see if they had any noticeable injuries.

Amy turned to Serena, who she saw looking out at where her apartment building had been no more than a minute ago. She walked over to her meatball-headed friend and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, and they both looked out over the wreckage.

"I'm really sorry," she said. "It was a beautiful place."

"I know," Serena replied with a sigh. "But it's only right, as nothing of beauty can survive in a place like this."

Suddenly, the sound of another moan caught Amy's attention. She whirled around and looked behind her, then walked away from Serena and started searching around the rubble pile. She heard the moan again, sounding as if it was coming from right below her!

Amy stepped back and knelt down, then started moving rocks away. A short dig later, and the body of Luna the cat guardian was again revealed. She looked up at Amy with an almost pathetic smile on her face.

"That's the second time someone's had to dig me out of the ground," she weakly said.

"Luna!" Amy cried, picking her up.

"Ooh!" the cat suddenly yelped. "Watch the leg!"

"What happened to it?"

"Serena's diagnosis was a sprained ankle," she replied. "But since you're the trained professional, I'd prefer hearing what you would have to say."

"Actually, I think Serena's right on this one," Amy said, examining Luna's bad leg. "I'll have to make a splint for that. Hold still a second."

She gently set Luna down on the ground, then picked up a thick, narrow piece of wood sitting next to her. She then ripped off a small piece of her sleeve, tore the piece in two, and used both pieces to tie the wood to Luna's leg.

"Not the best I can do, but it'll have to do under the circumstances," she said.

"Thank you, Amy," Luna said gratefully. "Where is Serena?"

Amy turned her back at the sudden sound of rocks being moved. What she saw was Serena in the middle of where the building was, searching endlessly for something buried underneath. When she didn't find it in one area, she moved on to another, taking no notice of either Luna or Amy.

"Where is it?" she demanded.

"Where's what?" asked Amy.

She was ignored, as Serena kept on digging. Still, she could not find whatever it was she was looking for.

"It's got to be around here somewhere!" she said.

"Serena, what are you looking for?" Amy asked again, leaving Luna's side and approaching her.

Still she was ignored, and still Serena searched.

As Amy watched in curiosity, Serena dug one hole a little deeper, until suddenly she could have sworn a pink glowing light was emanating. As it did, Serena covered her eyes for a second, then her face lit up with inspiration.

"Ah hah!" she cried, and her pace quickened and she dug deeper. Meanwhile, Luna got up and limped over next to Amy, who turned to her for an answer, only to be answered with a shrug.

Finally, Serena found it.

She dug her hole deeper still, and suddenly, a bright flash of pink light erupted from the ground, and Serena was literally thrown back by it! The flash was so intense, in fact, that even Luna and Amy, while at least twenty feet behind, were forced to shield themselves from it. After the flash, however, they uncovered themselves, and looked in awe at a pink glow emanating from the hole, and illuminating the area around it. Serena got back up, and walked back over to the hole, knelt down beside it, then reached down to pick something up.

She stood back up with her back to her friends, so all they saw was her back and a pink glow coming from in front of her, for whatever was causing it was what Serena had been searching for. The glow slowly died down, until it almost disappeared. She then turned around to face Luna and Amy, so that they could clearly see what it was.

Serena held her hands in front of her body with the palms facing each other. In between them, a small pink ball of light floated, giving off a soft humming sound.

It couldn't have been anything but the Imperium Silver Crystal.

"Thought I'd lost you…" she said, as if speaking to the crystal itself.

The crystal "replied" with a flicker of light, and three consecutive loud hums. The glow around it suddenly flared up again, and when the light dissipated, the crystal was encased in its locket shell, complete with the gold-chained necklace. She slipped it around her neck, and held her hand over the face of the locket tightly, as it flickered underneath with soft pink energy.

Serena then looked up at Amy and Luna, who were still watching with awe.

"I think this'll be safer here," she said.

She then turned her head in another direction, looking out into another part of the ruined city.

"So where to now," asked Amy.

"The temple," Serena answered, "to find Raye."

With that, she turned and started in walking in the direction she was looking. Amy gave a shrug to Luna, and followed her, with the cat guardian not far behind.

"How can you be sure she's there?" asked Luna.

"Raye's a survivor," Serena replied. "Besides, she'd go somewhere where she knew we'd find her later. Come on"

She continued on, faithfully followed by her comrades.

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~**

"It's hard to believe, isn't it?" Amy asked. "That this was once a place of beauty." She looked back and forth, and the ruins that were once the Cherry Hill Temple. "I remember when we first started coming here. Those trees over in the courtyard where at least a few feet shorter."

"Like I said before," Serena replied, "nothing of beauty can survive when Jedite's running the show."

"Are you sure about this, Serena?" asked Luna.

"Yes, I am," she said. "So stop complaining and keep looking."

"Well, excuse me," the cat muttered.

Serena slowly walked through the courtyard of the temple ground, across pavement, past trees and flowers, and around structures she'd seen countless times before. Now, the pavement was crackled and broken, the plants had withered and died, and any structure that was here before was long gone, with little to nothing remaining.

They reached the not roofless main building, and stared in disbelief at the destruction it had suffered. The blackened walls were full of blast holes, made from the explosion that had obviously come from inside.

With a nervous glance at each other, Amy and Serena, with Luna right behind, entered through the large hole where the door used to be.

Inside, the living room floor was littered with pieces of the ceiling and other walls, along with remnants of what decorated the room before. The walls inside were half torn away, just like the outside. As they walked in, the little pressure applied by their footsteps made small, charred specks of the wall fall to the floor and crumble. Amy shuddered at the sight of it.

"And I thought the apartment looked bad," she said.

"SH!" Serena suddenly hissed.

"Wha-?"

"Quiet!" she whispered. "I heard something!"

Serena continued on ahead, stepping forward with the silence of a feather floating to the ground. Amy reluctantly followed her, but Luna took the option of staying behind.

"What is it?" Amy whispered.

"I thought I heard someone in here," Serena replied. "Stay close to me; it may be trouble. Luna, are you coming?"

"I'll… watch your backs," she said.

"Coward," Serena muttered under her breath.

"I heard that!"

The two crept cautiously forward, making little to no sound, except the beating of their hearts and the huffs and puffs of their breathing. They made their way towards the hallway, where a 90-degree turn to the right headed towards where Raye's bedroom was.

Suddenly, Serena froze, forcing Amy to bump into her.

"I heard it again," she said. "Someone's coming. I'm sure of it."

"What do we do?"

"If it's Raye, we jump for joy. If it's Jedite, we run like there's no tomorrow. Either way, I'll go on ahead, you stay here with the scaredy-cat."

"I heard that too!" Luna answered.

Amy stayed where she was, while Serena crept on. She slowly moved forward several feet, just before the corner that she would need to turn to go down the hall. She huddled up against the wall and waited, while she heard the same sound she'd heard before; there was no way it could me missed, especially since everything else was so silent. She crept forward more by inches at a time, while her back was still against the wall. As she did, she glanced over at Amy, who gave her a thumbs-up, obviously wishing her luck.

Serena crept off the wall, and crept forward again, about to turn the corner, when…

"Hiiiii-yaaaa!"

"Aaaaahhhh!"

Something turned the corner at a lightning-quick speed and attacked Serena, sending her stumbling backwards, knocking into Amy and sending the both of them crashing to the floor in a heap. Serena shook off the surprise blow to her body and looked up at their attacker…

… Only to see Raye standing above them both, chest heaving, broom stick handle in hand, ready to swing it at anything that came her way.

"Oh, for the love of God, Raye!" Serena cried. "You scared the living daylights out of me!"

"Out of us!" Amy added.

"Serena! Amy!" Raye cried, dropping the broom stick. "Oh, boy, am I glad to see you."

"I was going to say the same thing about you, but that sudden attack kind of knocked it out of me!"

"Hey, what do you want?" Raye demanded. "I was attacked by Jedite, woke up in a pile of rubble, and have been totally on edge ever since! I haven't seen an insect without striking out thinking it was that psycho! And you know exactly how I feel, and don't deny it!"

"We're all a little on edge," Serena said. "For you, that's nothing out of the ordinary!"

"Knock it off both of you, and help us up!" Amy jumped in.

Raye grimaced, then knelt down, took her friends by the hands, and simultaneously helped them to their feet. They both brushed themselves off, then turned back to Raye.

"All the same, Raye," Serena said with a smile, "I'm glad you're all right."

"Thanks, Meatball Head."

"Come on," she said, heading for an exit. "Lita, Artemis, and Mina are still out there somewhere…"

"Serena, you can't be sure there's any of them left to find!" Luna cried, running in front of her. "How do you know that they're still around?"

"Luna, I was right about Amy, and I was right about Raye. I don't know about you, but I'm starting to see a pattern. So stop your complaining and actually contribute something here! I haven't exactly seen you do anything helpful yet."

"Don't look at me," Luna replied. "I'm not the one who attacked you with a broom stick!"

"Oh, sure," said Raye, "throw that in my face!"

"Both of you, stop it," said Serena. "Let's just go. Does anyone have any idea where the three of them might have been when the attacks happened?"

"The last I'd heard," Amy answered, "they were making a mall run."

"Makes sense," said Serena. "Let's check there first. If they already made it out of the rubble, they might have gone back to the hotel, or it's possible that they'll be headed in this direction. Anyway it goes, we've got to find them before Jedite does!"

"For once I agree with you," said Raye. "Let's roll."

The four of them then headed off.

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~**

Sure enough, Lita, Mina, and Artemis were found in the vicinity of the shopping mall. They had already dug themselves out of the rubble, but decided to stay in one place, unless Jedite were to appear again. Upon finding the remaining members of the team (minus Darien), they retreated back to the remnants of the temple, where they usually regrouped in times of emergency.

There, they tended to any and all injuries, which fortunately only included some small cuts and bruises. Artemis, however, having a much more frail body, suffered some more severe blows; a broken leg, a few fractured ribs, and a gash to the forehead, all of which were attended to in the best available considering there was little to no medical equipment that could be used. Other than that, he was fine.

So now, they sat inside the temple ground, discussing their next course of action. while the cat guardians sat on the side watching them.

"Are you certain you're all right?" Luna asked.

"Yes."

"You're positive?"

"You're…"

"For the last time, Luna, yes!" Artemis stated, annoyed at her constant asking.

"You're sure?"

"Luna, I assure you, I'm fine!" he said. "I may have taken a few hard hits in the attack, I'm not very combat effective at the moment, and I may have this bump on the noggin but I'm not suffering any brain damage or memory loss!"

"Really?" Luna replied. "What's my birthday?"

Artemis stared out into space in utter confusion as he couldn't come up with an answer, but then realized she was screwing with his mind again.

"You never stop, do you?"

"And why should I?" she asked. "Seeing the look on your face is half the fun!"

Artemis's paws tightened, and he gave Luna an angry scowl, while she giggled under her breath.

"That's the one," she said.

"You know that's a question I couldn't answer!" Artemis snapped. "We didn't even meet until after Queen Serenity started ruling the Moon Kingdom, and even afterwards, we never once told each other anything along those lines! Besides, if I'm not mistaken, we were born before even a lunar calender was invented! So how could I possibly know that?!"

"Well, look on the bright side," Luna said. "Not remembering things that you've never known is a good sign!"

Artemis growled angrily and started spouting enraged jibberish, while Luna laughed her head off.

"Y'know," said Mina, "I sometimes find it hard to believe that those two feel the way they do about each other."

"Tell me about it," Raye said. "They way the two of them bicker all the livelong day, you'd think they hated each other's guts or something. You'd never think they were even friends."

"Sounds a little familiar, doesn't it, old friend?" Serena asked.

Raye had to agree. The way she and Serena had been friends over the last ten years wasn't the most harmonious of friendships, but she had to admit, it was still a strong one. That anyone could agree with.

"All right, let's get back to business here," Serena said. "We have to come up with a sound plan of defeating Jedite, and making sure he's gone for good. We tried using our normal attacks alone, and that wasn't enough to get rid of him. We need something a little planned-out. Any suggestions?"

"We hit him first, and we hit him hard!" Lita cried, clenching her fists and getting up from her seat.

The others sweat-dropped at her lack of strategic help.

"Keep it cool, Sailor Xena, Warrior Scout," Mina said, pulling her back to the ground. "Hitting him with everything we've got is the option to go with. But we have to work our way up to that!"

"She's right," said Amy. "We've got to slowly work him down to a point of weakness, then when we've got him where we want him…"

"Pow!" Lita said. "Then we hit him with everything?"

"Anything we can dish out," Serena replied.

"Well, what are waiting for?" asked Raye. "Let's go out and bag us a bad guy!"

"No, not yet!" Serena said.

"What? Why not?"

"It's better to let Jedite wear himself out looking for us then to wear ourselves out looking for him. Besides, none of us are in any condition to go out looking for a fight yet."

"What do you mean?" asked Amy.

"Can't you feel it?" she asked. "Extreme fatigue, slight pain in your bodies… nothing that's going to help us win the day. Think about it… since you got out of the rubble have any of you not felt like your arms are about to fall off, or your hearts are about to stop beating?"

It was then that the other realized what she meant. They started feeling all the sore spots of their bodies, and thinking about just how tired they were. Serena watched as she saw Mina's rate of breathing increase some as if her air supply was somewhat decreased.

"I'm right, aren't I?" she said. "None of us are ready to face off with Jedite again. Not before we can get some rest."

"But where are we supposed to go?" Raye asked. "Jedite could be looking for us everywhere!"

"We…" Serena started, but stopped. She cautiously looked left, then right, then behind her, then leaned in closer and whispered, "I can't tell you here. Jedite may be watching us as we speak, so I'm just going to have to lead you there."

She got up from her seat, and headed for the exit. She turned and signaled for the others to follow. The cat guardians were first, followed Amy and Raye. Lita saw Mina's extra-weakened condition, and helped her to her feet.

"Hey… you all right, girlfriend?" she asked.

"Yeah…" Mina replied. "I guess those attacks kind of knocked the wind out me… Didn't realize it until now…"

"Come on, you'll feel better after some rest."

She escorted her out the door, following their friends, headed for wherever it was Serena was leading them.

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~**

"So now they're trying to hide from me?!" Jedite demanded, looking into his observation orb. "Isn't this a sight to see… I've never seen such determination in such a group of mortals. They're still trying to win the game, even though all they've got left are a few worthless pawns!"

"Anyone knows, Jedite," Nephlite said, "that one can still win the game if they play their pawns right."

Jedite ignored him, and kept looking into the orb, watching his enemies leave the remnants of the temple grounds.

"And besides," Zoycite jumped in, "if anyone around here is a pawn, it's you."

Jedite gave an annoyed grunt, and dispersed the orb with a wave of his armored fist.

"Don't you people have anything better to do?" he demanded. "Why don't you get a hobby; go get some chains and haunt a house, or get exorcised, or do something?! At least something other than trying to drive me up the wall!"

"We're trying to help you, Jedite," Malachite said. "If not for us, you'd be making a big mistake."

"What could I have done that you've prevented?" Jedite asked. "I haven't listened to a word you people have said since you first showed up!"

"That, of course, would be one mistake we were unable to prevent."

"You just don't know when to shut up, do you?" Jedite asked. "I don't need your help, I don't need your advice, and I don't even need your mere existence in my head. So why do you insist on sticking around when I keep telling you get lost?"

"You really think you don't need our advice?"

"Yes, I really think that," he said. "What problem do I possibly have defeating five weak girls?"

"Humans aren't as weak as you think, Jed," Zoycite explained. "They may seem selfish, witless, and just plain dumb at times, but when push comes to shove, there's no telling what they're capable of accomplishing. Sailor Moon is a prime example of that. And, if you haven't noticed, she's gone through some beneficiary improvements over the last 10 years."

"Minor changes, nothing more," Jedite replied, walking back up towards the throne. "Not enough to get rid of me. Not by a long shot."

"You're doing it again," Nephlite said. "Thinking you're all that and more…"

"You people don't understand the human psyche like I do," Jedite said, sitting back in his chair. "They're idiots! In times of danger, they either stupidly run for their lives, or they stay and die like the fools they are. And the six that are left in that God-forsaken city don't have a clue what I'M capable of." He waved his hand across the air in front of him, and a model of the planet Earth appeared in front of him. "Their world is mine to rule…" he continued, "or mine to crush. And if I do…" He closed his fist around the model, breaking it apart. "I'll crush them along with it!"

"You haven't got the entire planet yet, Jedite," Malachite said with a scoff. "To think you do makes you an idiot, and to think that you ever will have it makes you even more of one!"

As he spoke, Jedite clenched his teeth and hands, while his eyes gave off an enraged glow. Meanwhile, the spirit of Malachite stepped in front of his chair and looked him right in the face.

"Face it," he said. "You were a failure ten years ago, and you're still a failure now. Power is power, my friend, but in the hands of one who cannot use it, it's worthless… just like you."

"Enough!" Jedite roared, rising from his throne. "I will not stand here and let you talk this nonsense!"

His levitated off the ground, and his body off a luminescent glow. Malachite and the others backed off without hesitation.

"I am evil immortalized!" Jedite said, his voice echoing. "I am power made flesh! I am the invincible face of death! I am the living embodiment of ultimate doom…"

The glow in his eyes built even more, as his voice echoed like a thundercloud.

"I… am… mass destruction! And I will not be defeated! Especially not by some puny mortal humans in shrunken schoolgirl uniforms! Now leave! Before I banish your very souls to the darkest corners of the universe…"

Zoycite gave an annoyed "Hmph!" and vanished. Malachite turned and walked away and did the same. Nephlite, however, stayed where he was and narrowed his gaze on his ex-comrade, while he floated back into his chair.

"Well?" Jedite demanded. "What about you?"

"I'll leave," Nephlite replied, "but not before I leave you with some words of advice…"

Jedite groaned and buried his head in his left hand.

"'Let ignorance talk as it will," Nephlite quoted, "learning has its value.' A man from earth once said that. I suggest you keep it mind…"

With that, the spirit vanished from sight, leaving only Jedite in the vast wasteland that was his domain. Jedite only sat in his chair silent for several minutes, then slowly rose to his feet and walked down the platform, then the stairs, until he reached the bridge. In his mind, he replayed Nephlite's words over and over again, as if trying to find different meanings hidden within the words themselves.

"Let ignorance talk as it will…" Jedite echoed, "learning has its value… Perhaps it's time I teach those Sailor Failures a lesson they'll never forget…"

With a wave of his hand, he opened up a portal to Earth.

"Like never to cross a god."

He stepped through the portal, his plans clearer to him than ever before.

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~**Serena led her friends back to the area of her apartment building, and into the basement of it, which was still intact, even after both Jedite's attacks and the downfall of the building itself. On the inside, the scouts continued their discussions of their actions of retaliation. Mina had gotten better since they left the temple, no longer feeling short of breath.

In fact, after several hours of rest, all of them were feeling better, much stronger than before. Even Artemis with all his injuries could honestly saw he was feeling more like his old agile self. He was still in no condition to fight (in fact, this was nothing new) but he was still improving.

A small fire was started, for the air inside the basement was exceedingly cold. Serena and Raye sat next to it, while Amy sat opposite them typing on her pocket computer.

"Do you think Jedite's still searching for us?" Raye asked.

"Sure bet," Serena replied, staring blankly into the burning flames. "He's psychotic and he's obsessed; a lethal combination if you ask me."

In the back of the room, Lita, Mina, and Luna were having their exchange of words.

"I don't know about you," Lita said, "but ever since this whole Jedite thing started up, I've noticed this weird, darker side of Serena that I never would have known existed. Y'know, something inside that makes her look past her own fear and look… look… Ooh, what are the words I'm looking for?"

"Less of a wimp?" Luna suggested.

"That's it," she said. "Serena was never the bravest in the team, that I'll give you, but after all this… even I would scared to go near her."

"All of this is pretty stressful on her," Mina said. "On all of us, in fact. Thinking all these years that Jedite was gone for good, and then seeing him again, bigger and badder than before. I'd know, I was the first one to get in his hair like the rest of us did, and I thought it was over with. But then not to be confronted by him again, but to have everything you know and love, everything you hold dear, suddenly ripped away in the blink of an eye, just like that. And now that Darien is missing… well, I don't need to tell you, but that's more than enough motivation to do something about it, right?"

"I guess," Lita replied. "Most everything I have is still back in New Orleans, but I still had so much here, so many memories to look back on. But it's hard to do now that it's all gone."

"Yeah…" Mina said, sighing.

"We'll have it all again," Luna assured them. "This grim situation may be taking its toll on Serena, but that's what's going to drive her and all of us to victory."

"I suppose you're right," Lita said. She was silent for a few moment, then asked, "Think she'll go too far?"

"Serena?" Mina replied. "You've got to be kidding! Don't get me wrong, this is tough on her, and all of us in return, but I think after all this time, she'd know what she's doing. I don't know Serena as much inside as you or Raye or Amy or Luna do, but I know her well enough that, yes, this will force her to go to some extremes in mid-battle, but no, she'd never do anything that she consciously knew would hurt any of us. That's MY guarantee."

Lita leaned back in her seat, resting her back against the wall, realizing just how right Mina was. Serena's darker side was emerging, that was for certain, but never would she let it hurt her friends in any way. That was a fact they ALL knew.

All the while, Amy was hard at work, typing in a complicated program on her computer. Luna heard the rapid "tappety-tappety-tappety", and walked over next to the blue-haired doctor.

"What are you doing over here?" she asked.

"I'm trying…" Amy answered, "..to figure out Jedite's Achilles heel."

"His what?" asked Lita.

"His Achilles heel," Amy said. "His overall weakness. Every great warrior, no matter how strong, has one. In school, did you ever learn about the Odyssey of Homer?"

"I vaguely remember it, why?"

"At the beginning, Homer wrote how in the battle, Achilles was Odysseus's greatest warrior in the army. No arrow or spear could pierce his skin, nothing could hurt him, nothing could kill him. His one weakness, however, was his heel. A man named Hector from the opposing army realized this weakness, and shot an arrow at Achilles's heel. He was killed right then and there. While Jedite's weakness might not be so obvious or lethal, he still has one, and I'm trying to find it."

"Keep at it, Ames," Serena said. "You'll get it. We've got to, if we hope to get him for good."

"I feel so helpless just sitting here," said Raye. "Couldn't we look outside?"

"Not without letting Jedite know we're here," Serena replied. "He doesn't know this basement is still here, and while we're still not ready to fight back, I'd rather keep it that way."

"Well, we should still know what, if anything, is going on outside," Mina said. "If only we had some kind of… I don't know, surveillance system or something. It's better than staying in here, worried sick that he might suddenly show up."

"With some kind of camera," Lita added, "we'd at least have some warning if he's on his way."

Amy listened in on the conversation, and considered an idea in her head.

"I might have just the thing," she said. She typed in several buttons on the computer keypad, and the screen went blank. She then stood up, and tapped her right earring, activating her blue observation visor. She then proceeded to type in a new program. The screen flashed with numerous geometric shapes and algebraic equation, the visor flashed many of the very same things right before her eyes.

"What are you doing?" asked Raye.

"I'm trying to create a virtual link-up with my computer and my visor," she said. "If it works, I might just be able to see if there's anything going on outside. But give me a minute…"

She continued typing in the program, as the both the screen and the visor began flashing the exact same images; first it would show up on the computer screen, then on the visor several seconds later. As she proceeded, the images became more and more synchronized, until both the screen and visor flashed the exact same images and text at the exact same time.

Finally, with several more buttons, both screens went blank, and the words, "EXECUTE: YES/NO" appeared. In response, Amy typed in the letters, "Y-E-S", and hit the ENTER button.

Both screens went blank white instantly. Amy stared out into space with the visor still over her eyes, while she still pressed different buttons on the keypad. She could see a blurred image of the outside world, but on the outside, all her friends saw was the white screen.

"Is it working?" Serena asked.

"The video is blurry, but I'm cleaning it up at best I can…"

Finally, she focused the view, and what she saw was a crystal-clear view of the outside would, in full, booming detail.

"I've got it!" she said. "I'll see what's out there…"

She turned her head around, as the view in her visor changed as well. But, anywhere she looked, she saw nothing but lifeless, ruined buildings. She made a full 360-degree turn, but still nothing out of the ordinary.

"Nothing," she said in a despaired tone. "Nothing but destruction."

She turned again, but something out of the corner of her eye caught her attention. She turned and zoomed in to get a better look, but found all it was was a distant building falling on its side. She continued looking around, but still seeing nothing.

"What was it?"

"Just a falling building," Amy replied.

"Any sign of Jedite?" asked Lita.

"Hold on, I'll look a little more…"

She made another slow 180-degree turn, still seeing nothing. Then, she made another turn in the opposite direction, and she gasped in horror, for there directly in her view, where there previously was nothing, stood Jedite!

"Smile," he said, "you're on Candid Camera!"

He then reached out at the screen, his armored hand blackening her view.

Suddenly, white sparks of electricity started flowing through the visor, and Amy screamed in pain, while stumbling aimlessly throughout the basement. Lita, seeing Amy's state of emergency, rushed over to help her get the visor off her head, only to be thrown back by a sudden surge of energy. All the while, Jedite's maniacal laughter echoed through the room.

Finally, Amy managed to rip the visor from her face. She fell to the floor from the shock, while the visor fell from her hand and smashed on the floor.

Then, an explosion erupted from the ceiling, sending pieces of it crashing to the floor, and leaving a gaping hole above them. As the dust from the explosion cleared away, all the Scouts looked to the hole to see Jedite floating downward, cape flapping, arms crossed, and eyes glowing. His feet finally touched the floor, and he rest his arms at his sides.

"Greetings once again, Sailor Mercury," he said. "Sorry for the sudden shock; that visor of yours certainly was an amazing piece of technology, but then again, I never was that good computers."

Jedite then started walking towards her. Amy, however, reacted quickly, grabbing a piece of the shattered visor, thrusting it forward, and jamming the sharp end of it between Jedite's ribs! The general grunted and bent over in pain, while Amy got to her feet, quickly grabbed her computer, and backed off.

Meanwhile, Serena ran up behind Jedite and attempted to attack him, but Jedite thrust back his arm and knocked her away, sending her crashing into the wall behind her.

Jedite ripped the glass from his chest, and turned to Serena, then threw his hands forward and sent a blast of energy at her. Serena had just gotten to her feet when she saw the blast coming. But before it could hit her, Raye ran in from the side, and shoved her out of the way, just as the blast exploded against the wall!

Chunks of concrete dispersed from the blast, and a large crack started to form in the face of the wall, and it steadily grew, while the entire room started shaking violently, and the ceiling looked like it was about to cave in!

"We've got to get out of here!" Amy cried.

On that thought, she, Mina, Lita, and both cat guardians ran for the stairs, while Raye and Serena ran past Jedite, still in pain from the the stab. While running past him, Serena managed to sweep him off his feet, buying them some time to get out before the place collapsed, and before Jedite could catch up. They followed their friends up the stairs and out their secret entrance, into the open, just as the ceiling of the basement fell in, burying it in a pile of rubble… and Jedite with it!

The Scouts got up, brushed themselves off, then quickly regrouped, as the dust clouds kicked up by the collapse began to settle, with what looked like no sign of Jedite emerging from it.

"He better stay buried too!" Serena cried, huffing and puffing from the escape.

Her words were quickly contradicted, unfortunately, as a blast of energy flew in from the sky, and causing the Scouts to scatter. They once again regrouped after the explosion, and looked to the sky to see Jedite looming over them, surprisingly with the stab wound gone.

"You should by now I'm not so easily defeated," he said. "In fact, that desperate little attack you made me even angrier than before… Not a good tactic."

He then threw both hands forward, sending one massive blast of energy shooting toward the ground. The girls had no time to run from it, so they desperately protected themselves as the blast exploded right in their faces! Another cloud of dust was kicked up, and as it settled, all that was left was a burning fire large enough to consume five people. Exactly what Jedite hoped for, as he stood floating in mid-air, admiring a job well done.

"Hmm…" he said. "That was almost too easy…"

The cat guardians down below couldn't believe their eyes.

"No!" Luna cried.

"It can't be!" Artemis said.

"I assure you both, it can, and is," Jedite replied, turning his head to them. "Your heroes are gone." He turned his back and started floating away. "Pity too… not only did I have to destroy five such beautiful ladies, but they didn't even put up a good fight…"

However, his victory speech was interrupted as behind him, something bright was flashing, bright enough to get his attention. He turned around again, and saw five brightly-glowing lights, pink, blue, red, green, and yellow, shining from within the burning fire. The lights looked as if they were moving forward, while the fire that surrounded them died down.

As it did, five female bodies were revealed, the jeweled tiaras on their foreheads the sources of the shining lights. From out of the fire, walking side by side in synchronized strides, came Sailors Moon, Mercury, Mars, Venus, and Jupiter, each shining their own respectively-colored light.

The fire died down completely, clearing the way for their startling entrance, and they stopped in unison, facing Jedite.

"Well, that was certainly surprising," he said nonchalantly.

"You should have learned the same thing about us, Jedite," Sailor Moon said.

"Good never dies without a fight," Mercury jumped in.

"At least not before it takes a good chunk out of you!" Mars said.

"And we'll fight you to the last…" said Jupiter.

"Or till there's the last of you!" Venus added.

"You want Planet Earth, Jedite?" Moon asked. "Fine. But you'll have to get through us first!"

"Gladly!" the general yelled.

He threw his hands forward and sent multiple bolts of light spiraling towards. Each Scout dodged to the side as blast came near them and exploded on the ground, until each blast missed its target. While they were busy avoiding his attacks, Jedite floated down to the ground, ready for a fight. As the final bolt died away, Jedite threw his hands forward again, releasing a massive beam of black light shooting forward. The scouts dodged again as the beam shot past them, shooting away from the battle until hitting a nearby building, blowing it to smithereens!

"You'll burn for that!" Mars called as she got to her feet.

She started to slowly twirl around in a circle with her arm outstretched, while a stream of fire trailed from her fingertips. It continued to do so until she made a full circle, and a massive ring of fire floated before her.

"Mars… Celestial… Fire…"

She placed her hands together before her, while the ring of flame split into eight equal pieces, and reshaped themselves to form eight brightly-glowing balls of light, each displaying a different Japanese symbol. Mars then opened her hands, and all eight balls of light flowed between them.

"Surround!"

She forced her hands forward, and released eight massive rings of fire, each headed straight for Jedite!

The general didn't even flinch as the eight fire rings flew towards him. He simply raised his hand before him, his armored palm facing the incoming attack. A white glow emerged from his hand, and as the rings were no more than two feet in front of him… they simply stopped, right there in mid-air.

Mars gasped at the mere sight of it.

Jedite grinned his evil grin, then pointed his fingers forward, sending all eight rings shooting right back at her, at a speed so great she didn't have time to dodge. The burning she felt from the impact sensation suggested that all eight rings hit her at the same time!

"Mars!" Sailor Moon cried out, as she saw her friend fall backwards.

The other four Scouts ran to their friend's side. Sailor Mars herself wasn't hurt badly, but the force of the attack definitely took a lot out of her, along with putting a large burn mark on the front of her uniform.

"Sailor Mars, are you all right?" Jupiter asked.

Mars weakly opened her eyes and sat up, a little shaky. "I'll be fine," she said. "As long as I can get another shot at HIM!"

"Not an easy thing when you're dead!" Jedite called, forcing another blast of energy forward.

All the Scouts dodged away as the blast hit where Sailor Mars was lying, however, no one was hit.

"Let's take it by the numbers, guys," Sailor Moon said.

"Yeah, let's kick his sorry butt!" Jupiter cried, while Sailors Mercury and Venus nodded in agreement, standing side by side, as if planning a simultaneous attack. And that's exactly what they had in mind.

"Jupiter… Thunderclap…"

"Shining… Aqua…"

"Venus… Love Chain…"

While they prepared each of their attacks, Jedite simply crossed his arms defiantly and gave an unenthusiastic "Hmph!"

"Zap!"

"Illusion!"

"Encircle!"

All three attacks, the ball of electricity, the stream of freezing cold water, and the chain of hearts, shot towards Jedite all at the same time. As they were about to strike, Jedite started spinning around and around in a circle, making him a total blur of motion. He kept it up, even after the attacks supposedly hit him. Upon what looked like impact, he became an even bigger blur, until the Scouts realized what he was doing, as the three attacks were forced away from his body, whirling around him from the force of his speed.

Then, he stopped spinning around, and all three attacks were sent right back to where they came from! Jupiter got electrocuted by her own Thunderclap, Mercury was frozen in her tracks by the Aqua Illusion, and Venus was tied up with her own Love Chain!

No one could believe their eyes. Jedite was using their own attacks against them!

In their moment of weakness, Jedite zoomed forward and past the three of them, knocking them to the ground along the way. Sailor Moon had just helped Mars back to her feet, when Mars looked behind her and saw Jedite coming! She quickly shoved Sailor Moon out of the way, just as Jedite zoomed in and knocked her off her feet. Sailor Moon rolled across the ground and got back on her feet, and watched as Jedite floated back up into the air, a grin on his face, and his body covered by his black cape.

"Okay, guys, let's get it together!" she called. "We…"

She turned back to her friends and gasped at what she saw. The other four got back onto their feet and regrouped behind their leader.

"What's wrong?" asked Lita.

"Your… your uniforms!" Sailor Moon cried. "Their gone!"

They all looked at each other and realized she was right. Somehow, Jedite had forced them to revert back to their normal selves, for their Sailor uniforms were no longer there.

"How did he do that?" asked Amy.

"Who cares how he did it?" Mina replied. "Let's just RE-transform!"

It was a sound idea, except no one could find the one thing that could make it possible.

"Hey! My transformation pen in gone!"

"Mine too!"

"So are ours!"

Up in the air above, Jedite started laughing maniacally, as he opened his cape and revealed his hands, with something in its grasp. They all turned to his and gasped as he revealed what he was holding.

"Looking for these?" he asked. He then opened his hand and showed all four transformation pens.

"Oh, no! He's got 'em!" Mina cried.

Jedite held out his hand, closed his fingers around all four of the pens, and squeezed tightly. A bright burst of light flew forth from the sudden squeeze, and as it died down, the Scouts watched in horror as small pieces of their transformation devices fell to the ground and broke apart. The heads of them rolled across the rubble until finally resting in place, and each of the planetary symbols displayed on them glowed for several seconds, until the glow died down, and the pieces turned back and shriveled to dust.

"Nooo!" they screamed.

"Big mistake!" Sailor Moon yelled.

"You want to do something about it?" he asked, floating back onto the ground. "Try me!"

He threw his hands forward, and released a massive bolt of energy that immediately split into five equally-sized bolts, each one headed for one of the Sailor Scouts on the ground below. While Amy, Raye, Lita, and Mina were hit and thrown back by the blasts, Sailor Moon, still possessing her enhanced speed and strength, ran forward and dodged past the one meant for her, and lunged at Jedite, throwing her body into a jump kick.

Jedite dodged to the side as Sailor Moon flew at him, and threw a flash of energy at her back as she landed. Sailor Moon was sent stumbling forward, but she rolled across the ground and landed on her feet again, then turned and stood up, ready to rush at him again. Instead, she froze in her tracks as Jedite stood before her, towering over her head. She simply gave him a defiant scowl.

"Try and scare me all you want," she said. "You don't."

"Your mistake, my dear," he replied.

With that, he shoved her in the chest, sending her to the floor again. She rolled backwards and onto her feet again, while still on the ground. She looked to see Jedite approaching her again.

When he was in the right position, Sailor Moon kicked up both feet, and somersaulted backwards while kicking Jedite in the face. Once on her feet again, she whirled and slashed her toe across his face, then spun around again and delivered another kick to the stomach. Unfortunately, her surprise attacks didn't even budge him, for she faced forward again, he was right where he was standing before.

Sailor Moon disregarded this, then kicked her foot at him again. Unfortunately, Jedite caught her leg, then delivered a punch to the face, followed by another. He then shoved her again, sending her onto her back once more. She quickly got onto her feet, again. Though her body was in pain, she was still more than ready to continue the battle.

Unfortunately, so was Jedite.

As he approached her again, she kicked at him twice. He blocked and hit her the face again. Sailor Moon stumbled backwards in surprise, but was still ready. As Jedite came forward, she whirled around and delivered a kick aimed at his head, then continued her spin and tried to sweep him off his feet. Jedite dodged the first kick and jumped over the second one. As Sailor Moon got back up, Jedite delivered another punch to the chest, sending her onto back again.

She got up again, and immediately threw a punch at the general. However, Jedite caught the punch, and started squeezing her fist tightly. Sailor Moon wailed in pain, as it felt as if her hand was about to crushed. She finally couldn't hold out, and fell to her knees from the pain, while Jedite curled his other hand into a fist, and, in a moment of total mercilessness, slashed it upwards, delivering a powerful uppercut.

Sailor Moon flew several feet in the air, and landed on her back, then flipped backwards onto her stomach, over ten feet from where she was before. She was too weak to move, for the pain induced by Jedite's attacks, the near-crushing of her hand, and that last uppercut severely drained her.

Her friends could only watch in horror as Jedite was drawing closer to her.

"Serena! Get up!" Raye cried.

Sailor Moon heard her, and wanted to do as she said, but couldn't… or at least wasn't going to…

Jedite finally stood over her triumphantly, looking down at his adversary. He outstretched his right arm, and after a flash of black light, his silver sword, the exact same one used to slay the Moonlight Knight, appeared in his hand. He raised the blade high above his head, ready to make the final attack, execution-style.

"And now…" he said, "the curtain falls…"

"NO!" the others cried.

The light reflected off the blade as it dropped.

However, it never reached its target. For with a sudden last-minute gathering of strength, Sailor Moon raised her arm, the Moon Scepter in its grasp, and blocked Jedite's sword, the result a loud CLANG and a shower of sparks! She then got to her feet, whirled around and waved the Scepter through the air, forcing Jedite to back off.

Jedite floated into the air, while Sailor Moon twirled around, preparing her main attack. Jedite gave an unimpressed glare, and stayed where he was.

"Moon… Scepter…"

Jedite still didn't move, even as the attack went into its final stage.

"Elimination!"

She pointed the scepter straight at Jedite, and the crescent projectile was shot forward, complete with the trail of stars.

As it flew in his direction, the general gave another unenthusiastic scowl, then yawned. He then simply raised his sword, and as the crescent was about to reach his position, he slashed the blade across the air in front of him, forcefully striking the face of it, and reflecting it right back where it came from!

Sailor Moon was too horrified to react, and it hit her square in the chest.

She flew backwards from the explosion, as she did, she could feel something removed from her costume. She landed painfully on the ground, and rolled over several times, until finally resting on her back, weak as ever.

She slowly opened her eyes, but at first couldn't see anything, or at least anything clearly, for in her state of weakness, her vision was exceedingly blurred, and slowly focusing in. As it did, Serena could see Jedite's unmistakable looming figure standing over her, with something, glowing a bright pink light, in his hands. Her vision focused in even more, and she saw herself no longer in her sailor uniform, but in her street clothes, just like her friends. From that alone, she knew what Jedite had taken.

"No…" she weakly gasped.

Her vision then focused in completely, and she could clearly see her transformation locket in his armored hand.

"Oh, no!" Lita cried. "He's got the crystal!"

"This is very bad…" said Mina.

Jedite closed both hands around the locket, and applied excessive force, breaking the shell, and uncovering the greater treasure underneath. He outstretched his right hand again, and within in, floating above his palm and glowing its brilliant pink energy, was the crystal the Sailor Scouts had fought for so long.

"Ah…" he said in awe. "The Imperium Silver Crystal… it's been over one thousand years since I've eyes on this awesome gem! It's hard to believe such immense power can be contained within such a small trinket. Such brilliance… such magnificence… such… such…"

He focused his eyes on the gem, and they began to glow brightly. White electricity then started flowing through his entire arm, from the shoulder all the way down to his armored fingertips, and through the Silver Crystal. The pink glow faded out, and within the center of the crystal, a white light started flickering and building up.

"No…" Serena said again, reaching out for it.

The flow of energy continued, while the flickering light build even more, and the crystal itself started shaking violently. Jedite's grin widened, as the glow in his eyes build in a mix of anger, lust for vengeance, and triumph. The light in the crystal built to an almost blinding level, while it shook like a earthquake. As it did, small cracks in the surface of the crystal could be seen, forming themselves one by one.

Then, Jedite forcefully closed his hand around the crystal. The electricity stopped flowing, the light died out, and a mighty smash erupted forth from it, a sound that echoed throughout the entire expanse of the ruined city, as if a major part of it had suddenly been destroyed in the blink of an eye.

Serena watched in utter horror as tiny shards of broken glass fell to Jedite's feet, and scattered across the ground. She watched as each piece gave off one last, faint glow of pink light, then turned a dead black color, and turned to dust, that blew away in the wind.

"Such worthlessness…" Jedite finished.

"No…" she whispered, seeing the dust blow away.

"Well now, I'm certainly myself a time breaking things of yours," Jedite taunted. "First your city, in some cases, your bodies, then your transformation devices, and just now, the once mighty Imperium Silver Crystal… what's left to break?"

While he gloated, Serena discreetly reached behind her back, and grabbed a fistful of dust.

"Ah, yes…" Jedite continued, "There's still you."

"Run for it!" Serena screamed, as she threw her hand out.

Jedite screeched as the dust flew into his eyes, painfully blinding him. While he struggled, Serena got back onto her feet and ran away. She ran right past her confused friends, who turned tail and followed her.

"Where are we going?" asked Mina.

"Away from here!" Serena answered.

Jedite finally cleared the dust from his eyes, and glared angrily at his enemies as they fled.

"Run all you like!" he screamed. "You can't escape from the wrath of a god!"

He took several long, deep breaths, and he raised his hands into the air. Between his finger, sparks of black electricity snapped back and forth, faster and faster, until a ball of concentrated energy slowly started forming within his hands. As he formed it, the ground underneath him began vibrating, and as the concentration of energy built, so did the vibration become more violent.

The size of the ball of light reached a maximum, but the shaking of the ground continued. Jedite then threw the ball at the ground beneath him, and a massive beam of white light shot upward into the sky, completely engulfing him. However, from the impact, a ring of destruction sprang forth, for anything and everything that it touched was destroyed upon contact, and it was growing fast.

Meanwhile, the former Scouts ran from the scene, reaching a street lined with ruined buildings. Feeling the vibration in the ground, Serena stopped in her tracks. Her friends stopped alongside her.

"What is it?" Raye asked.

Serena looked behind her, and saw the beam of light reaching into the sky, and the rapidly expanding ring of destruction, quickly making its way in their direction.

"Oh my God…" she said. "Keep running!"

She turned and kept on running. Her friends were in no position to argue, so they followed her.

As they ran, the destruction, edged its was closer to where they were, obliterating anything it came across and turning it to rubble. While their pace never slowed, the ring made its way at them until it was no more than five feet from their heels. The buildings on either side of them as the passed them were taken in by the destruction, and ceased to be, and the street behind them was being torn apart no sooner after they had ran across it.

And in Serena's mind, all she could think about was how familiar this was turning out.

"No…"

While still running, she looked over her shoulder and into the sky. Looming over them, at least 100 feet in the air, were two massive, glowing eyes, staring down on all five of them in hatred.

"No…" she again said to herself, turning her head forward and keeping her pace.

Then, from within the ring of destruction, a wave of light flashed outward, hitting Amy, Raye, Lita, and Mina. Serena managed to escape it, but didn't get to far before she turned and screamed:

"Noooooooo!"

She watched in horror as all four of her friends fell to the ground. Amy was knocked unconscious, Lita was buried under a pile of debris, Mina was hit in the middle of her spine by a large rock, and, the most horrifying of all, the one thing that proved Serena's greatest fears, Raye was sent flying to the ground, as a snap was heard emanating from her leg.

The ring of destruction stopped right then and there, and Serena ran to her friend's side.

"Raye! Get up!" she said.

Raye weakly turned her head upward, revealing a small trail of blood going down her forehead.

"Go… on ahead…" she said. "It's… too late for me…"

"I'm not leaving you behind!" Serena replied.

"You… have to…"

"NO!" Serena screamed. "I am not leaving you! Or anybody else! Not here, not in the dreams, not anywhere!"

"You have to…"

With that, Raye's head drooped downward, and her body went limp.

"Noooooo! Raye, No!"

Serena didn't move, as the tears streamed down her face. She held the body of her friend close to her, as she cried in agony. She slowly looked up from her, even though she already knew what she was going to see.

In the air above her, several streams of fire flew around, and joined together into one flaming mass. The mass then split into two, and each formed a gigantic armored fist, identical not to only the gloves Jedite wore, but to the giant armored fists seen in the first frightening nightmare that started it all.

Then, both fists smashed into the ground simultaneously, sending a massive, fiery shockwave hurtling towards them all.

"Don't worry, Raye.." Serena said, staring into shockwave, the tears streaming from her eyes. "We're all about to join you…"

She then turned her head away and shut her eyes, just as the shockwave engulfed her.


	8. Chapter 7: Back on aMission&Ready toRock

**Ok guys! Here it is! I want you to know that I will get the next chapter up as soon as possible, but May is insane for me. Half of the family has a birthday, end of school, and I have 2 graduations to attend. But I want everyone to know that I will put pen to paper every chance I get so you can enjoy (I hope :)) I have the epilogue written already (don't ask) so I know where I want the story to go, I just have to get it there. **

**Also I will answer all review questions in the next chapter! Thanks**

**~Laina Mayes**

******~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~**

**Chapter 7**

**Back on a Mission, and Ready to Rock!**

Serena was alive. She was weak, but she was alive.

She made her way out of the rubble once again, and, once to the surface, fell to her knees, then to her stomach as fresh air surrounded her once more. Huffing and puffing. She crawled to her hands and knees, and wiped the sweat from her forehead. He titled her head upwards to see around, but her vision was fogged, and just now coming back into the focus.

"Oh God, no…"

What she saw was even worse than before.

It was safe to say that the city of Tokyo was no more. The sky was pitch-black, with only several black storm clouds slowly hovering across it. The ground beneath her was a floor paved entirely with rubble from the city, made into various hills and valleys. In the distance, there lay a massive city of black, spiky skyscrapers, all of which were taller than any building that had already existed in Tokyo before Jedite's onslaught. They all loomed over one's head in an ominous, frightening way, but they all in turn swarmed around one in the middle, the tallest of them in fact. Overhead, an army of storm clouds swarmed in a hurricane-like fashion, with streaks of white lightning spewing from its center, like monsters from the depths of a black whirlpool.

Serena disregarded this for a moment, and realized the fact that she was still in one piece.

"I…" she panted, "I'm alive… I don't believe this! After everything that's happened… I'm still alive!"

But, she then realized another horror of her situation.

"I must be the only one left…" she said. "Everyone else… The scouts, the cat guardians, Darien… they're… they're all…"

Suddenly, the sound of moving rocks behind her caught her attention, but more importantly, the voice emanating from underneath it, calling out at anything that could hear it:

"Aaah! My back!"

"Mina?" Serena called.

Serena whirled around and stared where the rocks were moving. A large pile of them moved away from a newly-made hole in the ground, and from the hole, a head of blonde hair popped out, followed by a pair of arms and the upper body they were attached to. The eyes opened and looked forward to see Serena staring in disbelief.

Sure enough, it was Mina, still intact, complete with the red bow in back of her head.

"Serena!" she called.

Serena got up and ran over to the hole, grabbed hold of Mina's hands, and pulled her out of the hole. Once out of the hole, Mina, weakened from her escape, started to fall on her own legs, but Serena quickly caught her.

"Mina, I don't believe it!" she said.

"You're telling me!" she said. "I figured that rock to my spine would be enough to kill me; go figure that shockwave didn't do it either!"

"Are you okay?"

"I feel like I bungee-jumped into a brick wall, but otherwise I'll live."

Serena threw her arms around her and held her tightly, while a tear dripped her from her eye.

"I'm just glad to know I'm not the only one left…" she said.

Mina smiled and put her arms around her thankful friend. "You and me both, girlfriend…" she replied.

"Hey guys!" a voice called out. "How about a little help here?!"

Mina and Serena both turned to the side, surprised to hear another voice, the owner of which obviously someone they knew. At the source of the noise, a pile of rocks was moving away, forming a hole in the ground, and allowing room for someone's arm to reach out onto the surface.

"Lita?" they both called out.

"No, it's Arnold Schwarzenegger! Yeah, it's me! So quit flapping your gums and get me out of here!"

With a shocked look to one another, both of them rushed over to the hole and grabbed hold of the arm. They then pulled up hard, until Lita Kino's upper body emerged from the rubble. Mina and Serena fell backwards from the force of the pull, while Lita pulled the rest of herself from the ground, where she then plopped to the ground, huffing and puffing.

"Lita!" Serena cried out. "Are you okay?"

Lita shook off the pain in her body and sat up, clenching her teeth and fists and scowling.

"Rrrrrgh!" she growled. "If it's one thing I don't appreciate, it's getting buried under two tons of rocks! I'm telling you, when I get my hands on that psycho Jedite, I'm gonna rip his empty head off and show him his body right before the brain dies! I'd like to see him laugh that up!"

"Calm down already!" Mina said. "Let's not rush into anything here! The first thing we should all do is realize just how lucky we are to still be here."

The angry, distorted expression on Lita's face dissolved and she calmed down. She then gave a relieved puff of exhaled air and sat back, rubbing her sore forehead.

"We sure are," she said. "I don't know what's worse; the situation, or the pain brought on by it!"

Serena looked down toward the ground in shame.

"Raye wasn't so lucky…" she said.

"Now come on," Lita said. "We don't know that."

"YOU don't know, but I do!"

"We can't be sure that…"

"Oh, get a clue, Lita!" Serena snapped. "I know! I'm sure of it! She's Dead! D-E-A-D, dead! I saw her die in my arms… twice already! Both in that stupid dream, and when it actually happened! So don't you go telling ME what I can't be sure of!"

"Stop it, both of you!" Mina yelled, instantly getting their attention. "Lita, Serena herself saw what happened. But Serena, you can't be sure that she'd really gone! Now let's just chill for a moment, and get a clue about what we know for sure. As far as we can tell, all three of us are in working condition. From what I heard of that nightmare, I'd bet that Amy is still out there somewhere. If you ask me, we find her, then we worry about whether or not Raye is really gone! Got it?!"

Serena and Lita both nodded yes.

"Good. Make sure it stays that way. Now let's start searching. We…"

Suddenly, the repetitive sound of moving rocks caught everyone's attention. They all looked around, and, once again, a small section of the rubble floor was moving, as rocks were moved back and forth by someone underneath. Instantly, a left arm emerged from it, followed an aqua-haired head, followed again by an upper body.

"Amy?!" they cried out in unison.

"Yes, yes, I know," she said, "you're all glad to see me. I assure you, the feeling's mutual! But in the meantime, can you give me some help over here! Clawing my way out is stress enough, and I'm having just as much trouble with her hanging on her arm!"

"Her…?" Serena echoed.

Lita and Mina ran and over grabbed Amy's extended arm and hauled her out. Her entire body was soon out of the hole she'd dug, minus her right hand, still buried in the hole. After she'd gotten out, Amy focused on whoever was still with her, and got hold with both hands. With one good, solid pull, she hoisted out another person, a raven-haired girl. Serena gasped.

"Oh my God," she whispered. "Raye…"

"She's hurt pretty badly," Amy explained, laying Raye on her back. "She's got a slight concussion, and her left knee in dislocated, but in a few hours she should be fine."

Serena slowly approached the rest of the ground, and knelt down next to Raye. The others backed off, knowing the emotional stress she was under. She placed her hand over hers, and watched as her head shifted to side as she let out a weak moan. Slowly, Serena tightened her fists while her thoughts turned to their mutual adversary.

"He'll pay for this…" she said under her breath. "Mark my words, Raye, I won't let him get away with this…"

"Hey guys, get a load of the decor!" Mina called out.

Serena and the others looked up to see Mina on top of the nearby hill, looking out towards the black city in the distance. Serena and Amy walked up next to her, while Lita, being the strongest of them, took hold of Raye and slumped her over her shoulder, then joined her friends.

"Have you ever seen anything so horrifying?" she continued. "I always knew Jedite was a bad guy; I guess this just goes to show you that bad taste goes with that!"

"Why, Sailor Venus, I'm hurt!" a sinister voice suddenly said.

Everyone turned and looked to the sky, to see Jedite hovering over them.

"I go to all this trouble to provide these accommodations for your arrival, and I'm thanked with these insults of my creative talents?" he asked. "For shame, for shame!"

"You…" Serena hissed, as she slowly rose to her feet. "You… you monster! You heartless, son-of-a…"

"Please, Ms. Tsukino," Jedite interrupted, "Let's try and keep the abrasive language to a minimum, shall we?"

"Shut up!" she yelled. "I am sick of you! You, and your destruction, and your arrogance, and everything about you! You've taken almost everything from us! Well let me tell you something, demon! You haven't just crossed the line, you've walked a mile over it, and tracked your muddy footprints the entire way! No more! In the name of the moon, and with God as my witness…"

She narrowed her enraged glare on him, while he floated above them, not moving an inch.

"I will destroy you!"

"What an inspiring speech!" he replied. "It contradicts everything that's happened so far, but I still must admit, you haven't you flair for the dramatics! Bravo."

Serena's rage built up again, and she started to charge at the general, only to be stopped by Amy and Mina. Jedite simply chuckled with enjoyment as he watched Serena try and squirm out of her friends' grips.

"I love a women with spice!" he said. "Because things are definitely heating up!"

He threw his hands forward, sending a beam of light at the ground. The team scattered as it exploded on the ground. Jedite then thrust forth his right hand, followed by his left, followed again by his right, releasing three bolts of energy. The team dodged back and forth as all three hit the ground, sending large chunks of debris into the air.

"Head for the city!" Serena ordered.

Instantly, everyone, including Raye, who was still slumped over Lita's shoulders, ran away from Jedite, headed for the black skyscrapers that were about a two miles away. As they fled, Jedite continued after them, sending his energy attacks exploding at their heels!

During the run, Jedite threw another bolt of energy, aiming straight at Amy. She escaped getting hit by it, but was temporarily knocked off her feet. She rolled across the ground and got back onto her feet, but in the process her pocket computer slipped out of her pocket. Serena, who was right behind her, caught it in mid-air, and opened it up.

Once open, she started a new program, and started rapidly typing in lines of computer code. When finished, she pressed the enter button, and pointed the screen at Jedite.

Suddenly, a super-high-pitched noise spewed from the computer. The sound reached Jedite's ears, and he threw his hands over his ears, screaming in agony.

"Aaah! The noise!" he yelled.

The consistency of Jedite's flight faltered, and he fell to the ground, and his trembling body curled into a tight ball, his hands still over his ears. He was stopped, giving Serena and her friends time to get further ahead.

"What did you just do?" Mina asked.

"I opened up a new page," Serena explained, "and entered a program that would emit a sound that would really get on his nerves!"

"How no earth did you know how to do that?" asked Amy.

"Hey," she said, "you don't have Amy Mizuno as a best friend for ten years without picking up a thing or two along the way! But don't stop now; once we're further away, the effect with wear off!"

They did as she ordered, continuing towards the city. As soon as they were at least a quarter of a mile away, Jedite's body relaxed and he wearily stood up, his body still a little weakened from the sonic attack. He looked forward and clenched his teeth and hands, then returned to the sky and glared down on his fleeing adversaries, so angry that sparks of black electricity flew from his eyes. He yelled angrily and flew forward.

Serena glanced backwards and saw him coming. "Keep going! He's on our case!"

With another angry yell, Jedite shot forward a blast of energy, exploding right behind Serena's back, forcing her to lose her grip on the computer, and ending the obnoxious sound. Fortunately, Amy caught it and put it back in her pocket, while still running for the city.

They never slowed their pace, continuing their run even up to a large hill that was just outside the city. It was then, however, that Jedite sent several large bolts of energy shooting at them, that all got a little too close. The first one didn't effect anyone. The second one knocked both Amy and Mina off their feet and to the ground. The third one hit the face of the hill, sending chunks of rock at Lita, forcing her to stop before herself or Raye got hit by them. Everyone was stopped in their tracks, while Jedite kept approaching.

While Amy and Mina got back up, Lita regrouped with them, while Jedite flew in and landed on the ground, while steadily approaching on foot, his eyes on all five of them.

Amy, Lita, and Mina turned and froze as they saw Jedite coming at them. But soon after, Jedite froze, as Serena stepped in in front of her friends, hunched over, legs spread, and arms at her sides, ready for just about anything.

She narrowed her gaze on the incoming general, while his eyes gave off a flash of white and his arms crackled with his evil energy. Neither took their eyes off the other, both wearing a expression of readiness.

"Keep going," Serena ordered.

"But…" Lita started.

"Are you deaf?" Serena interrupted. "I said keep going!"

Reluctantly, each one continued up the hill and towards the city, while Serena stayed behind, with Jedite just beyond her.

The general slowly walked towards her, while Serena held her stance, forcing her weight on her feet to held her in place, and arms out and in front of her, showing her complete readiness. Finally, Jedite stopped about ten feet in front of her, and the two glared into each others eyes.

"You want me so badly, Jedite?" she asked. "Come and get me."

"You'll be sorry you requested such a thing," he replied.

The suspense was so thick you could rip it to pieces if your really tried. While the lightning crashed and the thunder rumbled overhead, the two warriors gradually circled around each other, both in ready stances. They made a full 360-degree turn before something finally happened.

With a yell from both, they rushed full-speed at each other, meeting in between them. Serena threw the first punch, but Jedite caught it. He then threw the next, but in turn, Serena caught it. The two were locked together, looking each other right in the face despite their differences in stature and strength. Serena held her ground like a rock.

Suddenly, Serena kicked up her leg and hit Jedite in the chest. He stumbled backwards, more in surprise than in pain, but still enough to loosen to lock-up. They both backed off from each other and held their stances once more. However, no sooner had this happened than did something else occur.

Serena ran at Jedite, grabbed him by the arm, and hurled his massive body over her shoulder, slamming him on his back on the ground behind her! Jedite, however, after landing on the ground, kicked up his foot and hit her in the face, sending her falling to the ground!

While Jedite got back up, Serena rolled over several times before resting on her back. After stopping, she felt the area where Jedite had hit her, while glaring at him and getting to her feet again.

"You know," she said, "I'm getting very tired of you kicking me in the face like that!"

"But it's so enjoyable," he replied, "watching you writhe in agony and pain."

While the two circled around each other again, Jedite heard the voices:

"She's not giving up," one said.

"But you should," another said.

"Silence!" Jedite thought.

With another yell, Serena ran forward and jump-kicked at him. Jedite dodged to the side as she flew at him, and threw a punch at her backside as she landed. She grunted in pain as she stumbled forward, but ignored it and whirled around to face her adversary, only to see him running at her. She dodged as he threw a punch. As he went past her, Jedite whirled around and threw several more attacks, all of them being dodged.

Serena rushed at him again and kicked out her foot. Unfortunately, Jedite caught her leg, then forced his palm forward. Instantly, a brilliant flash of light burst forth from his hand, right in Serena's face! She screamed in pain, while she was severely blinded by the flash, all the while with Jedite still holding her.

With a mad grunt, Jedite hurled her over and threw her by her leg at the face of the hill! She hit it hard, then rolled down it, back at Jedite's feet.

As she tried to get up, Jedite grabbed her by her hair and lifted her to her knees, while she struggled to free herself. But before she could, Jedite forced his other hand at her again, sending a bolt of energy shooting into her chest, sending her flying into the hill again!

She wearily got up again, and saw Jedite running at her. He stopped in front of her, and kicked his foot high over his head, ready to slice it downward. Serena threw her arms over her head just in time to block it, then kicked out her foot and hit Jedite in the knee of his other leg. He fell onto his back, while Serena got up and got ready to deliver her own attack. She whirled her leg around to kick him while he was grounded, but Jedite saw it coming and rolled out of the way, just as her foot smashed into the ground!

Jedite forced his hands out, and threw yet another blast at her, grounding her again.

It was simply too much. While not in her Sailor form, Serena was took weak to even hope to take Jedite on now. Her hopes for survival were dimming, as was her physical strength.

She looked up and saw Jedite coming at her again. She threw her fist at him trying to connect with a punch. But Jedite grabbed her arm and hurled her over his shoulder, just like she did him before, but sending her flying several feet in the air and landing six feet away.

Now it looked bad. Serena was too weak to get up again, but Jedite was more than in his prime. He stood over her triumphantly, and smirked at the sight of her weakened body.

"I have no idea how you thought you could still fight me," he said. "Your precious crystal and your powers are gone, along with everything you hold dear. Like you said, I've taken almost everything from you… I guess all that remains to be taken is your pathetic life…"

He raised both hands, and a black light built up in them and his eyes, both crackling with energy.

"And you have no idea how much that will please me."

He forced his hands forward, ready to deliver the final blow to his enemy.

Suddenly, from what seemed like out of nowhere, a black shape zoomed into the fray, grabbed Serena's body, and zoomed out, before anyone watching could figure out what happened.

The light dissolved as Jedite saw his enemy disappear.

"What the-?" he said, confused. "What happened?"

Just then, from on top of the hill behind him, a small red object shot through the air, and stuck itself in the middle of Jedite's back! He yelled in pain and fell to his knees. He reached onto his back and grabbed whatever stabbed him, and plucked it from his skin.

He brought it front of him to see what it was, seeing a red rose.

Jedite whirled around and looked to the top of the hill. There, with its back to lightning storm in the distance, stood a tall, black shape in the form of a man, holding Serena over his shoulder, and looking down on Jedite. The lightning behind him made it impossible to distinguish him.

"Sorry, Jedite," the figure said. "But this is one star you won't be burning out anytime soon."

With that, the figure turned towards the city and jumped off the hill disappearing behind it.

Hurriedly, Jedite jumped into the air, and sailed through it to top of the hill, where he landed on his feet with a thud and stared into the land beyond, hoping to see some sign of his enemies.

He saw nothing, but the crackled ground, and his black city. He angrily clenched his fists and stared into the empty space.

"I hate this planet," he muttered.

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~**

"Hey, Serena… you all right over here?"

Serena opened her eyes, but at first could see nothing. Eventually, she could sense shapes and colors, but things were still very blurry. In front of her, she could see the image of a woman sitting by her, with a head of raven hair and a bandage tied around her forehead. Even with her bad reception, the voice alone told her who it was.

"Raye?" Serena asked weakly. "Raye, is that you?"

"I'm right here, Meatball Head."

Her vision finally focused in, and sure enough, it was Raye.

"Raye, it is you," she said, smiling. "I… I thought you were…"

"Yeah, I thought so too," Raye replied. "I did take a pretty nasty blow to the head, and my leg's busted, but nothing our friend the good doctor couldn't handle."

"I'm just glad you're alive," Serena said.

"Nice to see you too," she said. "Are you feeling all right?"

Serena strained her body and tried to got up, taking a look around. She winced from the sore spots on her body, but still managed to sit up. Around her, she saw what looked like the walls of a cave with torches lighting it up, and she saw Lita, Mina, and Amy in different areas of it.

"Wha-?" she said. "Where are we?"

"In a tunnel beneath the city," Raye explained. "We were lucky to find it; in all Jedite's remodeling, he probably doesn't even know it's here. Heck, I'd bet it was here long before he arrived."

"But… how did I get here?"

Raye smiled, and looked to the side of the cave. "HE brought you."

Serena turned her head, towards a tunnel opening on the side of the cave. Through the opening, she first saw a shadow of a man walking in, followed by its owner, a tall man with coal black hair, carrying a torch in his left hand. Serena's eyes lit up at the sight of him.

The man placed the torch of the wall next to him, then walked over next to Raye to see Serena.

"Hey there," he said.

"Darien…" Serena said.

"Good, you still remember me," he replied.

Without hesitation, Serena sat forward and threw her arms around him, and held him tightly, while tears streamed from her eyes. Darien was a little surprised at first, but soon simply went with it, wrapping his arms around her as well.

"Oh, Darien…" she said, crying. "I thought I'd lost you…"

"You'll never lose me," Darien said.

They pulled away from each other, so that they could look each other in the eyes.

"What happened?" she asked.

"Jedite was about to fry you," he said. "But I got you out of there in time, and brought you and the others here. I found this place after I escaped from Jedite before, and I was hiding here with trying to figure a few things out. When I heard what went up up there, I figured I should bring the rest of you here too."

"Good thinking," Serena said.

She moved her legs around a little, trying to get back the feeling in them. She then strained her body, and got onto her feet, then rose to stand up. Her body shook a little from her apparent weakness, but both Darien and Raye were there to hold her up.

"Stay cool, old friend," Raye said. "You're not exactly up to snuff yet."

She walked away towards another side of the cave. It was then that Serena noticed her limping, for a splint was attached to the her left leg, holding it together because of her previously dislocated knee, having been popped back into place.

"And now that we're all here," said Lita, "we can figure out how…"

"How to what?" Serena interrupted. "To fight him? Good luck!"

"We can't just give up," said Mina. "We have to…"

"To what?" she asked. "To keep fighting? With what? We don't anything to fight with!"

"Serena, what are you saying?" asked Amy.

"I'm saying the obvious," she replied. "That it's done. We've lost. Jedite's won! Game over."

She pushed past Darien, and wearily walked towards the cave exit.

"Where do you think you're going?" asked Raye.

Serena froze, and simply stood in place. She finally answered, "I'm giving myself up."

Everybody gasped.

"You can't be serious!"

"I can be," she said, "and I am. If I turn myself in to Jedite now, I can make him guarantee that you'll all be safe. If he has me, he'll be satisfied."

"The hell he will!" Lita cried, getting up. "You can't give yourself up! Not to him! You're the only one who can stop him! If you're not with us, there's no way he can be defeated!"

"He's already defeated us!" Serena snapped. "The strongest thing we had was the Silver Crystal, and he crushed like cheap glass! We've got nothing. And even if we did, it probably still wouldn't be enough to get rid of him. I'm without any other choice here. The only option now is for me to give myself to him, while you guys get out of here."

"We aren't about to leave you behind!" Mina said. "We're a team; and we can defeat him!"

"How, Mina?" Serena asked, turning and glaring at her.

"I don't know," she answered. "But if it's one thing I've learned over the years, it's that there's always a way."

"Not this time," Serena said. "This time, evil had the upper hand. There's nothing left to do."

"What about the Moon Wand and Scepter?" asked Amy. "Or your original locket? They're still out there somewhere!"

"The wand and scepter are useless if I'm not Sailor Moon," Serena answered. "And as for the other locket, what the hell good is that old piece of junk going to do for us? Besides… who's to say any of them are even still in one piece… just like everything else in this God-forsaken city?"

She turned and continued toward the exit, toward the surface. However, her friends weren't about to let her go. Lita ran up behind her and grabbed her tightly by the arm, stopping her.

"You can't do it!" she said. "You'll be killed for sure!"

"Let go of my arm, Lita!" Serena ordered.

"We can still fight him!" Lita continued. "It'll be hard, but we can't give up, no matter what happens! If you give yourself up, he'll only keep going until there's nothing left for him to destroy! And that includes us!"

"I said let go of my arm!"

The look in her eyes alone made Lita do as she said. She backed away from, while Serena kept giving her that look. It was amazing. For once, Lita was actually afraid of her.

She kept walking towards the exit, until she disappeared around the corner, headed for the surface, from where she would certainly meet her doom at the hands of the general. None of them had ever heard her talk this way, at least not in so harsh a manner. And from what they had seen, almost no one was willing to go after her.

Almost no one.

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~**

Serena moved the boulder out of the way, and climbed out of the hole and onto the surface. She casually walked through the alley between two black skyscrapers, in the direction of the center of the city, where she knew Jedite would be located. Without hesitation, she quickened her pace a little. She wanted to get this over, so that her friends could escape.

However, several seconds after she left the entrance, someone climbed out after her and followed her down her trail. Serena heard the footsteps approaching behind her, and stopped. No sooner had she done so than did whoever was behind her stop as well.

She was silent for a moment, and didn't move a muscle, except for her constant breathing. She didn't need to look behind her; she knew who it was.

"What do you want?" she demanded.

"You're making a big mistake, Serena," the follower said.

"Am I?" she asked.

"Yes, you are," Darien answered, as he started walking towards her again.

"Don't come any closer," she ordered. He stopped where he was. "It doesn't matter what you have to say; I'm giving myself up, and that's that."

"But why?"

"Why?" she asked, turning to him. "Why? You of all people have the gall to ask me that? Because too much has been taken, that's why. When I come to him, I'll make him give his word that he won't come after you and the others, and you won't be killed, so you can get out of here. That's why, Darien."

"There's no way you can be sure that he won't come after us," Darien replied, walking forward again.

"I said don't come any closer."

He stopped again. "Serena, Jedite is a cold-blooded killer," he continued. "It doesn't matter whether or not he promises not to come get us; the fact of the matter is, if you go to him, you're dead, and sooner or later are we."

"Not if you get out of here while I'm going to him," she said.

"Serena…" Darien said, frustrated by her stubbornness. "we are not about to leave you behind so you can surrender to him. That's not only dishonorable, but it violates a promise all five of made to Queen Serenity long ago."

"It's a promise made over a millennium ago," she said. "Besides, I think she'd forgive you under the circumstances."

She turned and continued walking, but Darien still followed her. She stopped again and turned to him, while he stopped as well.

"Why are you still following me?!"

"I'm trying to stop you from making a big mistake," he said. "Jedite won't stop until all of us are dead. Whether you do go to him to surrender or whether you stay behind with us and try and figure out a better course of action, nothing will stop him unless we stop him first."

"And how exactly are going to do that?!" she snapped. "We've got nothing, zero, zilch, zippo, nadda, nothing to fight him with! Face it, Darien. It's over. We've lost. All that's left to do… is give Jedite what he wants."

She stood in place and looked at him for a moment, then turned again and walked away, this time a little slower.

Darien shook his head in disgust, then he finally thought of something else. He continued following.

"Say what you want, Darien," Serena called, stopping once more. "It's not going to change my mind."

"At least listen to what I have to say," he replied.

"Fine, but make it quick."

Darien paused to think of the exact words he needed to say. Then, they came to mind and he began what he knew would change Serena's mind.

"Serena…" he said, "do you remember the Moonlight Knight?"

Serena turned to him with an annoyed scowl. "How dare you ask such a thing!" she answered. "Of course I remember him! He died trying to protect me!"

"Do you remember…" he continued, slowly approaching her, "what you told me… about his last words he said to you?"

Her face lost the scowl, and changed to one of deep thought, as she thought back several days, to that horrid night within the DreamScape, and the intense fight between Jedite and the Moonlight Knight. She remembered what happened to every bloody detail; the Knight's battered, broken body; the blood staining his white clothing; the weak, apologetic, in his dark blue eyes; and so much more.

"You told me," Darien said, continued his approach, "how you told him as he lay there on the ground, bloody, battered, and weakened… that all you ever wanted… all you had ever dreamed of in life… was a peaceful future for all of humankind."

Serena remembered more details as Darien explained them. She could feel tears trying to flow from her eyes, but she held them back, and listened still to what her boyfriend had to say.

"And right before he died," Darien said, "he made you promise, that no matter what happens… no matter what losses you suffer, no matter what injuries your body takes… that you would never, under any circumstances, give in to the darkness… to the evil around you… For as long as you keep up your end of the battle…"

She reminisced still, as Darien's explanation was nearly identical to what really happened that night, and she could feel a tear roll down her face.

"The dream," Darien finished, "will never die."

These last words brought on the worst images of all in Serena's mind. She saw the Knight's body become limp in her arms as he died; she saw his body glow and turn into nothing more than streams of energy, flying through the air around her; she saw the energy compact into one large, brightly-glowing ball of energy, that floated away into the sky above, twinkling like a star before vanishing.

Serena stood right where she was, trying to hold back her tears, while Darien walked right up in front of her, staring into her sad blue eyes while she was consumed in thought.

"Do you remember that, Serena?" he asked.

She didn't answer. She only replayed those last few moment with the Moonlight Knight over and over again.

"The dream," she echoed in her thoughts, "will never die…"

She couldn't hold it back any longer. She let out a loud, saddened cry of agony, and threw her arms around Darien. He embraced her sudden burst of emotion, and hold her tightly, while the tears streamed down Serena's face like a waterfall and she cried loudly, both in mourning for her friend, and in that she realized just how much she would be breaking her promise to him had she gone to Jedite like she said.

"There was nothing I could do to save him," she said. "Nothing at all… just like there's nothing I can do to save us now…"

"I know it looks that way," Darien replied, "but things are never as hopeless as they seem. There is always a way to overcome the evil, and those incredible odds stacked up against you. Always. And I, and all the others who love and care about you, will always be here to fight the battle with you."

"I could have done something," she said. "I could have saved him, but…"

"These things happen," he said. "People die sometimes for what they believe in. It's tragic, I know. But we must go on. And we cannot give up; more importantly, you can't give up."

"I can't stand the thought of losing them in the battle… or losing you… if I don't give myself up."

"And I can't stand the thought of losing you if you did," Darien replied. "But you won't, because you know deep in your heart that you can't."

The tears continued flowing, but Serena's cries stopped. All the while, to two held each other tighter than ever.

"You have the power," he whispered. "I believe you do."

Suddenly, Serena eyes opened wide at the sound of the word "power", and the flow of tears stopped altogether. She considered the word for a moment, then realized what she should do now. She pulled away from Darien so that she could look him in the eyes.

"Come on!" she said, in a lightened tone. "We've got work to do. We've gotta get the others."

She let go of him and ran back towards the tunnel entrance that led to the cave where their friends were hiding. She climbed in, and before she disappeared, she turned back to Darien, who was still standing where he was before, a look of semi-confusion on his face.

"What are you waiting for?" she called. "Get your butt down here!"

She entered the tunnel, while Darien watched and smiled to himself.

"Now that's the Serena I fell in love with…" he thought.

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~**

Jedite chuckled and he stared into his observation orb. Within the orb, the entire expanse of the blackened city could be viewed, the point of view constantly changing, from the whirlwind clouds over it, the ground beneath, to a side view, and even to the hill where Serena had escaped him before.

"Beautiful," he said.

"Your sense of style sickens me, Jedite," Nephlite said, leaning against Jedite's throne as he sat in it.

"That just proves how bad your taste is, my friend," Jedite replied. "In a matter of hours, I have turned that worthless city into what Beryl wanted and couldn't do in a matter of months! That's worth just a little credit on my part."

"Well this is certainly a change," Zoycite commented. "We've been here at least five minutes and you haven't blown your top at us yet."

"That's because," Jedite said, dispersing the orb and rising from his chair, "even you three can't ruin this for me. I have everything I planned to have at this point, and soon enough, my mission here will be complete."

"Don't count on it," Malachite said. "They still have their methods of doing their jobs."

"What a laughable thought," the general replied. "They have nothing against. I have the one thing they had that could possibly destroy me, and I destroyed it."

"Did it ever occur to you that you could have saved it and used it against them?"

"That would have just given them the opportunity to take it back, and then we're right back where we started. Besides, now, what else have they to use against the likes of me?"

Malachite sighed with frustration and sat down on the steps.

"You still don't get it, do you?" asked Nephlite. "You're still going to lose in the end. They still can find the power they need to defeat you. They still…"

"Oh, shut up!" Jedite snapped. "If it's anyone who doesn't get it, it's you people. After everything that's happened up to this point, what makes you still think that I don't have a chance? I've rid them of their powers and their crystal, and I wouldn't be at all surprised if Sailor Moon's confidence is shattered. So what else is there to do but surrender to me, like they should have done days ago?"

"Within every human soul, there burns the spirit of a warrior," Zoycite explained. "And the Sailor Scouts are more in touch with that spirit than most any beings I've laid eyes on. It gives them unimaginable powers. They aren't that apparent at first sight, but trust me, they're there."

"And they can use those powers for whatever purpose they see fit, at whatever time they see fit," Nephlite said. "And now, they see fit to use it on you."

"Then I'll just have to deal with that as it comes along, and strip them of that power as well."

"How do you plan to do that?"

"To be honest, I don't know," Jedite replied, "but I will… somehow… even if I have to take their souls as my own."

Suddenly, the sound of crashing thunder overhead distracted Jedite from the conversation. Up above, black storm clouds were brewing, and forming into a hurricane-like whirlwind. He grinned.

"Well," he said, "I'd love to stick around and humor you all about your obnoxious ramblings, but I must depart to the Earth Realm… my transformation of Tokyo is nearing completion."

He waved his hand in the air in front of him, and the black portal to Earth opened up. He walked in without hesitation. And as soon as he did, the flames on the torches went out, and the torches themselves started breaking apart from the top down, the pieces flying into the portal after Jedite. The throne chair, the platform under it, as well as the ones below it, started breaking up, the piece too flying through the portal. Meanwhile, the three spirits were unaffected by it all.

"Think we should still go after him?" asked Zoycite.

"I wouldn't miss this for the world," Malachite answered, walking into the portal. As he did, his spirit physique swirled around with the whirlwind-like structure of the portal, and was soon sucked into its black center.

Zoycite soon started to follow, but stopped as she realized Nephlite was still standing where he was, unmoving. She turned to him and noticed the expression of thought on his face, then re-approached him.

"Something wrong?" she asked.

"There's something very wrong with all of this," he answered.

"No kidding!" she said, sarcastically. "There's a madman on Earth who's just turned Tokyo into a passageway straight to hell! I think that more than says something is wrong!"

"It's not that…" he said. "Something else about this seems a little off to me."

Zoycite was intrigued. "What do you mean?"

"Jedite was always the most evil, the most malicious, the most… diabolical of any of Queen Beryl's general's, that we already know," Nephlite explained. "But what he's done now… what he's done to Tokyo… it's above and beyond anything he was ever capable of doing. Sure, it's evil, but it's just not him."

"Well, his intake of energy could make for an increase of one's evil intent…" Zoycite replied.

"No one's evil can be increased or decreased," he said. "It's either there, or it's not. With Jedite, there's no doubt that it's there… but something about what he's doing lately… tells me it isn't his own… Does that sound strange to you?"

Zoycite considered the idea for a moment, and realized how much sense it was starting to make.

"No…" she said. "No, that doesn't sound strange."

"It's almost like…" Nephlite continued, but stopped as he couldn't find the right words.

"Like what?"

"I've only seen one other person in existence who was ever capable of the things Jedite is doing to Tokyo…"

Zoycite's eyes widened as something horrid then came to mind.

"You _cannot_ be serious!" she exclaimed.

"For everyone's sake," Nephlite replied, "I hope not."

On that thought, he walked up to the face of the portal, then turned to Zoycite. "I suppose the only way to be sure is go and see what happens," he said. "You coming, old friend?"

"Hey," she said, "I'd hate to be the odd one out…"

They then both walked through the portal after their comrade, just as the platform was completely sucked in, and the platforms beyond it began deteriorating.

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~**

"Wait a minute… you mean you're leaving?!"

"It's not what you think," Darien said. "I'm not leaving the city, or you. I just need to be alone for a while."

"But why?" asked Serena.

"I need to prepare myself," he explained. "For the final battle with Jedite. I won't be much good to you in the condition I'm in."

"But…"

"Don't argue," he said. "I just need you to trust me on this one."

"But where will you go?" she persisted. "How will I be able to find you if I don't know where you are?"

"You don't need to find me; I'll find you."

Darien walked across the crackled ground outside the city, headed for the hills beyond. Serena was right behind him, trying to stop him and get some answers. She grabbed his arm and halted his walk.

"But we need you here," Serena pleaded. "I need you."

"And you'll have me when that happens," he said. "But for now, I just need to disappear; believe me, you'll be thanking me later."

"But what if you don't come back?" she asked. "What if Jedite finds you while you're gone and stops you before you can help us?"

"He won't find me."

"But… but…"

"Serena," Darien said, taking her hand into his, "I know you don't understand what I'm doing now, but when it's over with, I'll be more valuable to you then than I can ever be now. I need this time to myself so we'll all have more of a chance against Jedite in the end. I promise, the time will be worth it."

Serena was silent for a few moments while she tried to think of a response. "When will you be back?"

"You'll know when the time comes. Until then, I'll trust you to hold him off. And should I fail, then you can still be there to finish him off. But let's just hope it doesn't come to that."

"I still don't understand why-"

"I know," he said. "But you will later. Now please, Serena. I'm asking you to just trust me on this."

He stared into her eyes with his dark, dark blue eyes, and Serena knew there was no way she could refuse him. He reached down and kissed her lovingly on the lips. He then backed away, and caressed the side of her pretty face with his hand, while she placed her hand over his.

"Be careful, my love," she said.

"I will."

He turned and walked away, headed for the hills. Serena watched as he left, standing completely still. He was about twenty feet away, when suddenly something came to her. She ran after him.

"Wait!" she called.

Darien stopped and turned to her. She ran up to him, while reaching into her pocket. When she was in front of him again, she pulled her hand out, and produced a gold object with a gold chain attached to it. She opened her hand, and revealed the star locket, the one she and Darien had exchanged several times in the past.

She flipped it open, and it started playing its familiar music.

"Take this," she said, grabbing his hand and putting the locket in it. "For luck."

He looked at the locket for a moment, then turned his head up at Serena.

"You gave it to me once," she said, "and it hasn't failed me ever since."

He smiled at her, closed the locket, then placed it around his neck.

"I love you," she said.

"I love you," he replied. "And I promise… I will be there to protect you."

"You be careful out there," she said. "I don't what I'd do if I ever did lose you." She reached up and kissed him, then looked right into his dark blue eyes. "Now go on, you dummy, before I change my mind."

This time, Serena didn't follow. She simply watched him shrink into the distance. Once he reached the top of fist hill, he turned back to her and waved to her. She waved back, trying to hide the tears running from her eyes. He then turned and disappeared behind the hill.

Wiping the tears from her face, Serena turned and headed back to her friends.

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~**

"Well," said Amy, "we're all here like you asked."

"Good," Serena replied.

"So what are we doing here?" asked Lita.

"Well…" Serena started. "there's something we need to do, right here, right now, that's very important if we ever plan on defeating Jedite. I know it's going to sound a little farfetched, but believe me, it's possible, and we will be able to do it."

"First tell us what it is we have to do," Raye said, "then we'll decide how impossible it sounds."

Serena gulped and took a deep breath.

"We need open a portal…" she said. "to Heaven."

"Heaven?" asked Mina. "As in, _the_ Heaven?"

"Yeah."

The others were silent for a few moments, as they looked at each with confused faces.

"I know it sounds like a strange idea, but like I said, it is possible."

"But how?" asked Raye. "Without our Sailor powers, that won't be an easy thing to do."

"I know," Serena said. "Jedite may have destroyed our ability to transform into our Sailor forms, he hasn't stripped us of all our abilities. And with those powers that we still have, we can do this."

"What do you mean?"

Serena took another deep breath. This wasn't going to be easy to explain.

"Within each of us," she said, "we possess all the same powers and abilities that we did as Sailor Scouts. It's… it's a power that comes from deep within your body… within your very soul… and that power is more than anything Jedite could ever come up against. The way I see it, our transformation devices… all they did was bring out that power without really concentrating on it… but even if they're all gone now, even with Imperium Silver Crystal, we all still have those special powers within ourselves. All we need to use it is concentration and focus… And with our combined abilities, we can open the portal… Does that help?"

The other listened intently as she explained as best she could, but their faces still showed signs of doubt.

"I don't know…" said Raye. "All this about these inner powers… it just sounds a little hokey to me."

"Don't get us wrong, it sounds promising," Lita said, "but even so, I find it a little hard to believe what you say."

Mina and Amy both nodded in agreement.

Serena could tell there was only one way to convince her friends.

She relaxed her body, and shut her eyes, while concentrating hard on her goal. He friends looked at her strangely, for they had no idea what she was up to. She simply stood in place with her arms at her sides and the palms of her hands facing upwards, making not a single sound.

Then, the symbol of the crescent moon magically appeared on her forehead, glowing a pink light, while an updraft of wind blew her hair up over her head. This was soon followed by a massive pink aura that surrounded her body and illuminated the area around her. The others backed of in surprise, for they couldn't believe what they were seeing.

Finally, the aura died down, and the crescent and updraft disappeared. Serena opened her eyes again and looked at her bewildered friends.

"Satisfied?" she asked.

"Well, this is definitely unexpected," Mina said.

"So how do we all do it?" asked Amy.

"Just do as I tell you," Serena said, "and we'll be fine."

The others still didn't quite looked satisfied.

"Guys…" she said. "I know it doesn't sound possible, I know it sounds like a dumb idea, but if we do this, we can contact someone who can help us fight back and get rid of Jedite once and for all. I promise, if we do this, we CAN stop him. All I ask is that you trust me."

Their faces lightened a little, but they still weren't satisfied.

"Guys, please…" she said, "for once in your lives… just trust me on this."

They looked at each other again with the same bewildered faces.

"I guess we don't have much of a choice," said Lita.

"Good," Serena said. "Now… all of us should join hands."

They formed a circle, and each one grabbed the hand of the person standing next to her.

"Close you eyes… and concentrate…"

They did as she said. Each girl closed her eyes, and concentrated their inner powers as they thought they should. Each focused on the symbol of their respective planets, and already, they could feel… something… within them, emanating from inside.

"Keep going…"

On each of their foreheads, the planetary symbols of Moon, Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, and Venus appeared, and glowed their respective colors; pink, blue, red, green, and yellow. A strong updraft of wind flowed up their bodies, blowing their hair over their heads as this strange energy started flowing outward.

"Harder now… don't stop it… !"

They forced their concentration even more, while around each of their bodies, a brightly glowing aura, in each respective color, surrounded, surrounded them and illuminating the area around them in a blinding rainbow of energy.

"Let it surround you!"

The aura kept growing, until they completely swallowed them, making their bodies brightly glow their colors, all the while the symbols on their foreheads were glowing brighter than all of them.

"Now…" Serena said, "call on it!"

Each of them threw their heads toward the sky, and in turn called on their inner energy:

"Mercury… Ice… Power!"

"Mars… Fire… Power!"

"Jupiter… Thunder… Power!"

"Venus… Light… Power!"

"Moon… Cosmic… Power!"

As soon as they made these calls, five brightly-colored, blinding beams of light shot up into the sky above, one from each Sailor Soldier, almost forming cage of laser light around all five of them.

Then, in the very middle of the circle, one wide, bright beam of pure white light shot from the sky and hot the ground in front of them. A burst of light flashed from the impact, and sent all five of them flying backwards from it, forcing them to lose their concentration and let go of each other. The other beams of light dissolved, as did the auras and the symbols on their foreheads. All that was left was the one beam of white, still shooting down from up above.

As it illuminated almost everything within the next sixty feet, the team got back onto their feet and regrouped, standing together a safe distance from the beam.

Suddenly, the impact point of them beam flashed brightly, then again, then for a third time. Finally, after a fourth flash, the beam cut itself off, and it's remains shot down to earth. Once it hit bottom, one last bright flash of light, brighter than the ones before it, blinded them all, forcing them to cover they're eyes.

When the flash died down, Serena uncovered her eyes, and saw exactly what she was hoping for. The others uncovered themselves as well, and looked at the new source of light in the area.

Where the beam of light had hit the earth, there floated in the air a single, massive sphere of white light.

From within the very center of the orb, the team saw a silhouette of a person slowly walk out towards them. The blinding light made it impossible to tell what it looked like at first, but as it approached them, its feminine outline was well visible. The silhouette reached the surface of the rob, and walked right through, then floated to earth below.

It was a female, of course, dressed in a long white down that almost reflected the light around her, and complemented by the bow on her chest, and her head of long, silver hair, styled in the exact same fashion as Serena's. As she completely walked out of the orb, a pair of angel's wings followed, obviously attached to her backside.

She walked across the rubble ground towards the team, and stopped several feet in front of their leader. Serena smiled at the sight of the newcomer, while the others couldn't believe their eyes.

"I knew you'd call me," Queen Serenity said, in the same sweet voice as before.

"I knew you'd come," Serena replied, walking up to her true mother.

The others were simply aghast.

"I don't believe it," Mina whispered. "It's her!"

"It worked!" Amy said. "Incredible!"

"Sailors!" the Queen called out. "How wonderful to see you all again. Especially when you aren't all trapped in hospital beds!"

"Serenity…" Serena said. "We need your help. We've got more problems than we can deal with on our own."

"I know," Serenity replied. "I have been watching."

"Then you know about the crystal?"

"Yes," she said. "It is quite tragic; to see what you had fought for for so long destroyed right before your eyes… and the transformation wands as well, destroyed by Jedite. Such a thing will greatly complicate matters."

"Then you know why I've called you?"

"Yes… I do."

"So…" Serena asked, "what do we do? How do we fight Jedite now?"

"So many questions…" the Queen asked, smiling sweetly at her daughter. "But all of them will be answered in time, my darling. It may result in my punishment at the hands of the higher powers, but I must do what I can now… despite what they tell me."

"What's she talking about?" Raye asked.

"Everything will be answered when the time comes," Serenity said.

"But what do we do now?" Lita asked impatiently.

"Yeah!" Mina agreed. "Jedite is still out there right now; if something isn't done about him, Earth is doomed. And if we can't do anything, that's even worse!"

"The Silver Crystal is gone," Amy jumped in, "and without it, there isn't much hope, but we know there has to be something we can do about all this!"

"I know," the Queen said. "And trust me, I am here to help you all in your time of need."

"What do we do?" Serena asked.

"There is something I have for you," she answered, "something for all of you, in fact. I have kept it with me, for just such an emergency. I never thought it would come to this, but it seems there is no other alternative."

Serenity turned and started walking back towards the glowing orb. Her wings made several forceful flaps, then she stepped into the orb. Before entering, she turned back to Serena.

"Follow me," she said. "We wouldn't want to keep our destinies waiting, would we?"

She turned and disappeared within the orb. As soon as she did, Serena unhesitantly followed her. Before touching it, she turned to her friends, who stayed behind, still reluctant to take in all of what was going on.

"Guys, come on!" she called. "She's going to give us the help we need!"

They still didn't move. They only looked to one another for answers, but got none.

"I know all of this is hard to believe," she said, "but you have to trust me! Once Serenity gives us whatever it is she has for us, we'll finally be able to stop Jedite once and for all! So please! I've never needed you to trust this much in the past, but now, I need you to believe me. Please… just trust us on this one."

With that, she turned and jumped into the portal.

Everyone still didn't move. They still only looked to each other, waiting for someone to go on after them.

Finally, in an act of true loyalty to her friend and leader, Amy wiped the worried look from her face, bravely stepped forward, and without a word walked towards the portal, and walked in. She was soon followed by Mina, then by Lita, leaving Raye behind. She walked up to the face of the portal, and placed her hand on it, but whisked it away as it was almost sucked in.

"I'll… just take the bus…" she said nervously said, backing away.

However, her retreat was immediately halted as Serena's voice called from from within the portal:

"Move it, Raye!"

"Okay, okay, I'm coming!" she said, running up and jumping in.

The gave off another short series of light flashes, then shrank into a tiny flicker of light, that gave off a small flash of its own, then disappeared.

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~**

"What is this place?"

"You'll see…"

The stars overhead were the only lights, but everything else around them was pure blackness. Wherever they were, it wasn't Tokyo.

Finally, a massive blue and white shape hovered into view from the left horizon. Its light reached the surface of wherever they were, and started lighting things up into view. Around them, there was the remnants of mass destruction; broken pillars, dilapidated stairways and buildings, everything that signaled that a great battle once took place here.

The others gasped as they realized the blue-and-white sphere overhead was the earth. They could tell because they could see Australia down under, and over it, a large black spot where they knew Tokyo was.

"Where are we?" asked Amy.

Serena frowned. She knew this all too well.

"It's the Moon Kingdom," she said.

"Or what is left of it," Serenity said.

"It's been a long time," said Mina. "Ten years since we last saw all this…"

"Ten years for you," Serena said, "Five days for me. The real thing looks even more desolate than that place Jedite cooked up in that twisted mind of his."

"True," the Queen said, "it would be a blessing if this place looked how Jedite made it. But alas, not everything can be as we want it."

"What are we doing here?"

"Within all these ruins," she explained, "even after all these years in solitude and darkness, there still remains something here that has never died out, no matter what the world around it has gone through."

"An eerie sense of creepiness?" Raye asked, shivering a little.

"Well yes," Serenity answered, "but more… much more."

She turned to her left, as did the others, to see the remains of the royal palace about 100 feet away. She started walking towards it, followed instantly by Serena. Again, the others were hesitant to go on, but eventually, Amy, followed by Mina, followed by Lita, went on ahead. Raye gave an unenthusiastic sigh and followed them, running to catch up.

Casually, Queen Serenity entered the palace through its broken front gates, into a large hall with several stairways leading in and out of it; one on the left side, one on the right, and one on either side of the opposite end of the room. She walked in, followed by the others, towards the opposite end of the room, towards the two stairways lining the wall in either direction.

They expected to go up one of the stairways, but instead, Serenity approached the wall in between. She reached up her hand and held it over an extinguished candle holder embedded in the wall. Magically, the torch was lit up, and she took it from its holder. She then grabbed the torch holder, and rotated it on its axis to a 90-degree angle.

Suddenly, the sound something heavy moving filled the air, and the wall mechanically moved backwards and slid away, revealing another, hidden stairway with a narrow hallway, leading downward.

"Follow me," she said. "The tools you need are this way."

She walked down the stairs, and the others faithfully followed her.

The inside of the hallway was pitch-black, the only light source the torch Serenity had taken before. The stairway spiraled downward almost infinitely with a well-like structure, to a distance below the surface that was impossible to calculate. As they gradually began to reach the bottom of the well, everyone could see what was unmistakably a source of light at the very bottom, shining brightly up the shaft, and steadily growing brighter as they kept moving towards it.

Serena couldn't help but feel something within her body, sensing something from the light they approached. Something powerful was down there; that was all she could tell at this point.

"Do you feel that?" she asked, turning to her friends.

"Who could miss it?" Raye replied. "I've never felt anything like it before."

The others nodded in agreement. Serena then turned forward again and moved closer to her mother.

"What is that down there?" asked Serena, pointing to the light.

"You'll find out," Serenity replied.

The light became bright and brighter as they reached the bottom, the intensity of it rising to an almost blinding level.

They finally reached the very bottom of the stairway, that then lead to a bridge, suspended by what looked like nothing, and suspended over what looked like nothing. At the end of of the bridge, there was constructed an alter of some sort, where there was displayed a most awesome sight.

On the alter, there floated one single, solitary ball of super-intense white light, the brightness of which was simply astounding. Around it, numerous small sparks of energy circled around it, much like the electrons of an atom.

Queen Serenity placed the torch on the side of the stairs, for it was no longer needed, then walked across the bridge towards the light, while the others couldn't stand to go any nearer; the brightness was simply too much. But as Serenity walked up right up in front of the light, the shadow of her body provided some shielding from it, while she herself seemed unaffected by it. The others uncovered their eyes, and watched the Queen as she stood in front of the ball of light, and placed her hands over it.

"What is this place?" asked Serena.

"This is a secret chamber within the kingdom," Serenity replied. "One that only I have ever known about; it is a place where I often went to escape the stress of my royal lifestyle, or just to be on my own so that I could think things through… And it also the hiding place of the universe's most prized possessions…"

"Is that what that is?" she asked. "Is that what we've come for?"

Serenity didn't answer at first. She placed her hand under the floating light, and "lifted" it from the alter, and held it before her, not taking her eyes off it, and not blinking even once.

"Serena…" she said, "do you remember the power that I showed you… in the DreamScape… the one you used to defeat Jedite?"

Serena sighed as she remembered. "Who could forget?" she replied.

"What was it like?"

"It was nothing like I'd ever felt in my entire life…" she said, finding it surprisingly difficult to explain, "I… felt stronger than a hurricane… It… it was… it was… It's just beyond words entirely! How could I possibly describe something like that?"

"Now…" Serenity said, "it is time for you to truly receive this power…"

Serenity closed her eyes, and concentrated her energies on the ball of light. Suddenly, the ball gave off several bright flashes of white, and it slowly split into five smaller, equally sized glowing lights, each one a different color. Now, instead of the the bright white, the hidden chamber was now illuminated in a rainbow of brightly-glowing energy, in five awesome colors; pink, blue, red, green, and yellow.

Serenity turned back towards the team, and revealed that in her hands, there floated five small, glowing sparks of light, each one glowing one of the bright colors that lit up the cavern. She walked back across the bridge, while the others slowly walked up to her, meeting her at the middle.

The girls looked in awe at the five glowing lights, all of them feeling something from within; something that these lights were responsible for.

"What are they?" asked Serena.

"The ultimate sources of your powers," the Queen replied. "They each possess the greatest elemental powers the universe has ever known; and all this time, I have kept them here, in secret, hidden from anything that would endanger them."

She turned her hands over, and all five lights floated over her left hand, while she walked to the side of the group, in front of Amy. She held out her right hand, and the blue light floated over it. Suddenly, the blue light died down greatly, still bright enough to help light up the cavern, and to reveal what was causing the light. As Serenity opened her hand, Amy saw a small blue gemstone; a sapphire to be exact.

"This is the Mercury Sapphire," Serenity said. "It has the power to summon the fiercest of blizzards, and the most crushing of tidal waves. It is yours now, along with its awesome powers. And its chilling abilities will never fail you in the fight, as long as you maintain the warmth in your heart."

Amy held out her hand to grab it, but was hesitant to touch it.

"Go on…" Serenity said. "Take it."

Finally, Amy, took the light into her hands. She closed them over it for a moment, then opened them to examine the gem. It sent several small sparkles of an icy energy around it, while it displayed the Mercury symbol in its crystalline center.

She then stepped in front of Raye, as the red light floated into her grasp.

"Raye," the Queen said, "the power of your heart and soul is as magnificent as they come. And the fire within them gives you great strength of mind and body in time of need. That is why I'm giving you this… the Mars Ruby."

The light lessened in intensity, revealing a red gemstone, the same size as the sapphire. As Raye grabbed it, small trails of flame circled around it, while the Mars symbol flashed in its center.

Serenity proceeded down the line, walking past Serena to step in front of Lita.

"Lita, this is yours," she said, as the green light floated in front of her, "the Jupiter Emerald. They say the power of thunder is the strongest on Earth, and you are living proof of that. Your determination and your unending will to fight to the end serves you like a raging thunderstrom, as will this gem."

Lita took the light from her, as it turned into a green gemstone, that crackled with electricity, as well as the symbol of the planet Jupiter.

As Serenity stepped in front of Mina, the yellow light floated forth.

"Mina, you're as beautiful as the sun, and as lethal as its flames," she said. "The light of good flows from within you, burning out any evil it shines down on. Take this, the Venus Topaz, and forever blind the evil you face."

She took the light as it turned into a yellow gemstone, that glowed with a bright yellow sunlight, while flashing the symbol of Venus.

Finally, Serenity stepped back in front of her daughter, while she held he pink light in both her hands. She simply stood in front of her for a moment, then smiled as Serena stared into the light in awe.

"Now it's your turn, my darling," she said.

She held out her hands, and the pink light floated forward. It stopped in front of Serena, and it turned into a small diamond, expertly carved into the shape of the crescent moon symbol. As Serena held her hands around it, it emanated its pink energy, and she could feel it already, flowing through her, though she hadn't even touched it yet.

She turned her head towards her mother, knowing what she was about to ask.

"This, my daughter, is the Lunar Diamond," the Queen said, "my most powerful, most prized possession of all, second only to you and your friends. I need not tell of it, for you've already known for some time."

She was right. Serena knew this energy well.

"What are these?" she asked.

"They are the very last remnants," Serenity answered, "of your planetary kingdoms."

Each of them looked up from their gifts to listen to Queen Serenity.

"A long, long time ago," she said, "all of you, as princesses of your worlds, would one day inherit the thrones of your kingdoms, and as well, these along with them. But your parents, the rulers before you all, were afraid of their power, and afraid of what they might do in your hands, or theirs for that matter. It was then through a council decision that all five of these be locked away, and given to you one day when it would not be as dangerous to you or the kingdoms. If the NegaVerse had ever learned of them, or worse yet, found and taken them, no one would be safe."

"Why have you kept them all this time?" asked Lita. "And why were we never told of them?"

"I was the most worthy and the most trusted," she explained, "and as the leader of the high council that made the decision, I was entrusted with their safety. And as for your knowledge of them, it was also decided that you should not know about them until we were sure that it would endanger nothing. Unfortunately, the demise of our kingdoms made that impossible."

"Where did they come from?" Mina asked.

"No one really knows," the Queen said. "They were here long before any of us had taken our thrones; and even so, the rulers before us didn't know where they came from. All we knew was, there was nothing to match it."

"It's incredible," said Serena. She then looked up at her mother. "You've had these all this time?"

"Yes," she said. "I never thought I would reveal them to anyone, even you, but now… I feel I have no other choice.

"Hey…" Raye suddenly said. "What the-?"

The Mars Ruby gave off a short flash of red light, and a trail of flames was sent up her arm, down her torso, and town her leg, the same leg which still had the splint attached to it. The flames circulated through it for several seconds, until they were suddenly absorbed through her skin, and the splint shattered like glass! Raye moved her leg around a little, feeling no pain whatsoever, while they all watched in surprise.

"My leg…" she said. "It's not broken anymore!"

"Yes," Serenity replied, "the gems also possess great healing powers as well as their offensive and defensive abilities. They can sense when things are awry, and instantly make them right so that you may continue your battle."

"Awesome!" Mina said.

"So… what now?" asked Serena.

"Now…" Serenity replied, "you go home."

Serenity shot her hand into the air above her, and mighty flash of bright light burst forth from her fingertips, surrounding all six of them for a moment in a brilliant white backdrop, leaving not even their shadows visible.

When the light dimmed and dissolved, the team looked all around them, to find they were now where they were before; in the alleys in between the black skyscrapers of the dark city, while in back of Queen Serenity, the white spherical portal floated in the air. The others bushed themselves off, for the force of their sudden teleport had kicked up a lot of dust, and they looked into their hands to see that they still had their planetary gems.

"The hour of judgment is near," Serenity said.

"Yes," Serena replied. "And Jedite will finally pay for what he's done."

"Your determination will serve you well," the Queen said. "But never let it rule over you."

Serena smiled sweetly at her, and searched for the right words to say. She had encountered Queen Serenity many times before in the past, coming to her aid when she needed it, but even so, she often found it difficult to talk to her, knowing that she was her true mother.

"Thank you," she said. "With these, there's no way we can lose."

"Yes. But be careful, my darling," Serenity replied. "These gems are powerful, that is for certain, but if their power were ever abused, the results could be simply catastrophic. And even if not misused, they are worthless… unless you have the will power on the inside to face the battles ahead."

"There's something I don't understand," Serena said. "What about those… those higher powers that you keep talking about? You've told me that there were things they wouldn't let you explain to me before; how do they feel about this?"

Serenity's smile faded somewhat, and she gave a sigh of discontent.

"They… do know you've done this…" Serena asked, "don't they?"

"I will deal with them when the time comes," she replied. "It will not be easy; I have no memory of it ever being easy. But in the past, I have been known to have my way with them. It's rare, but it happens."

Suddenly, the portal behind her gave off three consecutive bright flashed. Serenity turned her head to watch them, then she turned back to her daughter.

"They are calling to me," she said.

Serena stared into Serenity's eyes for a while, and they simply stood there looking at each other. For a reason somehow unknown to her, she had a bad feeling about this. Something about the situation at the moment felt… strange. Something was wrong.

"Is…" she asked, trying to hold back her tears, "is this the last time I'll see you?"

Serenity's smile came back, and she reached out her hand, caressing the side of Serena's face.

"I don't know," she replied. "They specifically ordered me not to come here tonight; but I felt in your time of need, with everything else available to you gone in the blink of an eye, there was no other alternative. I have disobeyed them like this before; coming to you when you needed my help, and I'm sure they will not take very kindly to this. But I did what I felt was best, what I felt was the right thing to do, and I'm not ashamed of that in the least."

Serena didn't reply. She could only try what she could to stop herself from crying.

"I may not be able to come back here again," she continued. "That you must understand."

"I… I understand…"

"I wish it didn't have to be this way," Serenity said, "but there things that we simply don't have control over. But you, Serena, and your friends… you have your destinies laid before you, and you have the ability to change them as you desire… never let anything take that ability away from you."

Serenity walked closer to her, until she stood right in front of her.

"And you must also understand…" she said, "that no matter what happens… you will always… as the stars in the sky always burn their brightest… hold a special place within my heart."

Serena couldn't hold her feelings back any longer. She walked forward and threw her arms around Serenity, while Serenity wrapped her arms around her. Serena cried full-heartedly, knowing this might very well be the last time they would see one another; at least for a very, very long time.

"I don't want you to go…" she said.

"And I don't want to leave…" the Queen replied. "But I must."

"I know."

"And never forget," Serenity said, "that I'm proud of you. For all your courageous deeds in the past, and for the ones you will do in the future, for you, your friends, or for the world around you. And never forget how much I care about you."

"I won't," Serena said, pulling away from her, and glancing into the portal. "Good luck."

"No," Serenity said, "good luck to you, in the fight ahead. You'll need every bit of it, you know."

Suddenly, the smile again faded from her face, and a small tear rolled down her face.

"What's wrong?" asked Serena.

"A small disappointment, I guess," she answered, wiping the tear away. "Giving you the Lunar Diamond, and all the other gems was somewhat of a rash decision on my part… for with giving them to you, the last hope I ever had of fulfilling my deepest dreams and restoring the Moon Kingdom to what it was has died… as has a small part of me… I can only hope these last trinkets can do for you what I hope they can. For if they help you win the day, and save your city and your planet from Jedite's wrath… then I have not died in vain."

Serena smiled at her.

"You never did," she replied.

The portal gave off another series of flashes, further beckoning Serenity.

"I must leave now," she said.

"Go on," Serena said. "You don't want to keep them waiting…"

The two exchanged one last hug, then Serenity slowly backed away.

"Good bye…" Serena said, "Mother…"

"Good bye, my darling daughter…" the Queen said, "But never forget that you still have a mother… one who loves and cares about you as much I will always. Remember that."

"I will," Serena replied.

With that, the Queen turned her back and walked towards the portal. Serena and the others watched as she shrank into its luminous white light, and her majestic, angelic form turned into a black silhouette.

She was about to step in, when suddenly, something came to Serena that hadn't before. Her tears stopped flowing and her eyes widened as there was something unresolved in her mind.

"Wait!" she cried, running up towards her mother.

Serenity stopped and turned again to face her, as she ran up and stopped before her.

"There's something I still don't understand," she said. "If the the Imperium Silver Crystal of this era has been destroyed… then what's happened to the one of the 30th century?"

The other gasped as they realized what she was getting at. If the crystal they had was gone, then someone they knew was in desperate trouble.

"You must understand," Serena explained, "with that crystal gone, my future daughter's entire world is as good as dead. Everything she knows depends on the safety of that crystal; but if it's destroyed, what about the one in the future?"

Serenity considered the question for a moment. Then, suddenly, the portal behind her gave off several bright flashed of light, almost in response to Serena's question. Serenity turned and watched them, then turned back to Serena with a sweet smile on her face.

"Do not worry," she answered. "Rini's kingdom is safe; for with the rebirth of the world in the future, there will also come the rebirth of the Silver Crystal. Everything she knows will exist as it was meant to."

Serena smiled, relieved at the good news.

"Thank you," she said. "I don't think I would have been able to fight if I didn't know."

"The love of a daughter is unlike any other," Serenity said. "I know. And it seems so do you."

Once again, the portal gave off another short series of flashes.

"I must go now," the Queen said. "Be sure to send my love to Darien."

"I will," Serena replied.

With one last sweet smile, Queen Serenity turned and continued walking into portal, her body turning into a small silhouette as it entered, until finally disappearing within its blinding center. The portal gave off another bright flash of light, then slowly shrank in size, until it was barely the size of a marble, though it still glowed like a star. Then, with one final burst of light, the spark dissolved from sight.

Serena never took her eyes off Serenity as she disappeared, even as the portal closed. She simply stood where she was, looking out into the empty space, while the light of the portal faded off, leaving behind the darkness.

From the group behind her, Raye walked up and placed her hand on Serena's shoulder.

"Come on, old friend," she said. "We've got a war to win."

Serena smiled. "Yeah," she said. "We do."

Meanwhile, Amy had taken out her computer and typed a rapid series of buttons on the keypad, continuing the analysis program she had started before. After a mere ten seconds of pressing buttons, then screen turned blank white, and the words "TEST COMPLETE" appeared, followed by various words and pictures. Amy's widened as she read it.

"I've got it!" she exclaimed.

Everyone instantly turned in her direction.

"What?" asked Serena. "What have you found?"

"Jedite's weakness!" Amy replied. "I found out what Jedite's weakness is!"

The rest of them swarmed around Amy and the computer screen, though they couldn't get a clear view of what the words on the screen said.

"According to this," she explained, "the secret of Jedite's power is anywhere near as complicated as we might have thought. In fact, the complexity of it all is no more difficult to understand than the workings of your basic rechargeable battery!"

"Huh?" the rest of them said in unison.

"Let me rephrase that," she continued. "What I mean is, according to my study of Jedite's anatomy, his new powers cannot be taken away from him. That's the bad news."

"So what's the good news?"

"The good news is," she said, "that when he uses them long enough, he wears himself out to the point of near death, and has to recharge his body so that he can use those powers again later."

"Of course!" Serena said. "That explains why he was gone for those five days. He was in the middle of recharging, right Ames?"

"Exactly," Amy answered. "And when he is at that point of near death, needless to say, that's the perfect time to deliver the final blow and get rid of him once and for all!"

"But wait a minute," Lita said. "We did that before, and Sailor Moon knocked him silly with the Moon Scepter; so why didn't that destroy him?"

"Simply put, it wasn't strong enough," Amy said. "Had we possessed our new powers then, there's no doubt in my mind that we could have destroyed him. But with all that energy he's consumed, his disappearance was the most we could have hoped for at the time."

"But this time…" Serena said, "no mistakes."

"And what makes it even better," Amy finished, "is that with all he's done with the city; the attacks, the shockwaves, and all these skyscrapers here; his powers are severely depleted. And even more, he has no idea!"

"So we can wear him down…" Mina said.

"And then rub him out!" Serena finished.

"I couldn't have put it better myself!" Amy said, as she snapped the computer shut.

Suddenly, the sound of crashing thunder and the flickering lightning up above caught everyone's attention, and they all looked into the sky.

The swirling mass of clouds over the center tower of the black city was spewing streaks of black lightning, thunder shattered the silence of it all, while Jedite's maniacal laughter echoed all throughout the alleys below. In the sky directly overhead, the image of a pair of evil, glowing eyes appeared, staring down not just on them, but on all the city.

"He's here…" Serena whispered.

"Let's go!" Raye declared. "Now's the time for all things human to fight for what they believe in!"

"We're back on a mission," Lita said. "Let's get ready to rock!"

"Yeah!" the others replied.

Raye, Amy, Lita, and Mina all started forward, towards the center of the city, while Serena stayed behind, still looking into the sky. She then turned her head downward, as she opened her hand, revealing the Lunar Diamond, giving off several flashes of its pink energy.

"I will cherish this forever…" she said to herself, closing her hand over the gem.

At the sound of her friends calling, Serena ran forward and rejoined them, and all five of them walked towards the center of the city, towards their destinies. They had the powers they needed to fight, and they were more than willing to use them. The final battle lay just ahead of them all.

And this time… they were ready for it.


	9. Chapter 8: Annihilation Pt1

**Chapter 8**

**Annihilation Pt. 1**

The swirling black whirlpool of clouds opened wide, and a dark portal to the NegaVerse opened within. So sooner had that happened than countless pieces of stone started flowing out of it, and onto the rooftop of the center building; the only flat surface in the entire city.

The debris started building up at the edges of the roof, and slowly forming stone platforms. As the debris kept coming out the portal, more platform formed, floating above the ground, and forming in a way a levitating set of stairs on all four sides of the roof, slowly coming to a unanimous ending point above the roof.

More debris flew out of the portal, and matching sets of torch posts constructed themselves at different sections of the platforms, while the platforms themselves stopped being built, but with still a large gap of empty space between them. More debris flew out, and from the top of the uppermost platforms, four fully-connected stairways were formed, steeper than the platforms, and going up about ten feet, and stopping again, but with still a large gap between them.

Finally, more debris flew out, and one final platform was formed on top and within the gap between the stairs at the top of this floating pyramid, while at the same time various other platforms were constructed, simply floating around it the air in various places and at various distanced from the rooftop for no particular reason or purpose. A few more pieces of debris, and four more torch posts were formed at the four corners of the top platform.

Following this, a massive cloud of dust swirled out from the center of the portal, and started building something else at the center of the top platform. As the dust condensed and fused together, Jedite's massive throne chair was formed.

With a sudden flash of black light, stone spikes were formed on the outside edges of the platform stairs, forming a sort of path leading up to the top. On the top platform, more stone spikes magically grew out from the surface, making a cage that lined all sides except the front, where the throne chair looked out over the dark city.

Then, from the portal overhead, numerous streaks of black lightning shot downward and struck the tops of the torch posts, lighting each and every one of the them, except the four on top.

Suddenly, four more streams of black electricity shot forth and struck the four torches, but did not stop once they connected. Meanwhile, one final, thick blast of black light shot down from the portal and upon the throne chair, creating a massive burst of light, and sending a large circular ring of energy outward over the city.

When the light dissolved, the streams of electricity ceased, and the torches were lit, while Jedite stood exactly where the beam of light had hit.

"My," he said with a grin. "Wasn't that exhilarating."

He slowly sat down, and comfortably rest in his throne, placing his arms on the arm rests, and looking out over the city.

"Well, spirits," he said. "What do you think of my new domain?"

"You taste in decoration flat out stinks," Zoycite said.

"Oh, what do you know anyway?" Jedite muttered.

"More than you, that's for damn sure," Nephlite said. "After all this, you still haven't given the slightest thought to what we've been telling you all along."

"Of course I have," Jedite said. "I thought about what you said before you left last time. What was it you said… Ah, yes…'Let ignorance talk as it will, learning has it value'… That is what you said, am I correct?"

"And how exactly did you come to interpret that as a suggestion to destroy what was left of the city of Tokyo?" asked Malachite.

"Perhaps some bad judgment on my part," Jedite answered, "but you have to admit, the results are still something to admire."

"Oh are they?" Nephlite said. "Looks like a scene from bad science fiction novel if you ask me."

"Well, I didn't ask you, now did I?" Jedite asked.

"So you've gotten this far," Zoycite said. "So have others, and the Sailor Soldiers still whipped them into shape."

"Well, you see, there's one small difference between those situations and mine," he said. "They have no powers, no Silver Crystal, and therefore no chance of taking me on and living to tell about it… taking into consideration, of course, on whether or not I let them live, which is doubtful."

"You'll be fortunate, old friend, if they let you live."

Jedite sighed with frustration and buried his head in his hand. "You still don't understand," he groaned. "The facts are as clear as daylight, and you're still insisting what simply will not happen! How do they expect to fight me without their precious powers? And the answer is, they can't!"

"How do you know you really took their powers away?" asked Malachite.

"I know."

"How do you know?"

"I just know, damn you!" Jedite snapped.

Malachite only replied with an amused chuckle.

"You never learn…" he said.

On that thought, all three spirits disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"And stay gone!" Jedite yelled.

He rose from his throne and starting walking around it, looking over the dark city and the black buildings surrounding his news domain. The lights in his eyes pulsed with evil energy as he narrowed his gaze on all that was around him. He finally stopped on the right side of his throne chair, facing behind it, and placed his his hand on it for support, as he looked out into the distance, to a sea of black stormclouds on the horizon, blocking out what was undoubtedly the sun on the other side.

"This is my palace," he said. "They're fighting on my grounds now. I have the advantage; I have the power; I alone can with this war… and who on this God-forsaken planet in their right mind has the will to try and stop me?"

"We do!" a voice said from behind.

Jedite instantly whirled around to face the source of it, as a crash of thunder roared overhead from his surprise.

Down below, on a platform just over the edge of the rooftop, stood five female figures, standing side by side, their bodies in a position saying they were ready for anything. It was Mina, Lita, Raye, Amy, and Serena.

"Well, well, well…" Jedite called out. "If it isn't the five lady venoms. I was wondering when you and your friends would come on by. And in fact, I was starting to worry that you wouldn't even find the place." He stretched his arms out at his sides, as if welcoming them. "Well, I must say, congratulations, and welcome to my humble home."

"Can it!" Serena snapped. "This is our home, demon! And we're taking it back!"

"With a vengeance!" Raye added.

Jedite grinned and chuckled. "Doubtful, ladies, very doubtful."

Suddenly, all around them, streaks of black lightning shot from the swirling mass of stormclouds above, striking everything within the dark city, from any distance from the clouds themselves; to the tops of the black skyscrapers, all the way to the rubbled ground below. The girls all jumped as the loud thunder pierced their ears like a thousand needles, and they were blinded by the immense light all around them. meanwhile, the general stood in one place, not moved at all by this massive display of power.

"As you can clearly see, ex-sailors," he said, "Your city now belongs to me. And once I've gotten of you five annoyances, so will the rest of this world. I will infest everything with my dark energy, until the entire planet is nothing more than a black orb, floating through space, and festering with my evil power."

He raised his right hand as black currents of electricity started flowing through it. Serena began to step forward, but as she did Jedite shot his hand forward, and a thin streak of lightning shot from the sky and hit the ground right in front of her, forcing her to step back.

"And with every hour of the transformation," Jedite continued, "I become more and more powerful. By the time everything is done and over with, not even the Creator of this universe himself could rival me."

With a wave of his fingers, several more thin streaks of lightning shot down from the clouds and struck at the feet of the sailors, forcing them back and forth as they dodged each and every one. When it was finished, several large, smoking holes were made in the floor, and pieces of concrete were scattered around them.

"And if I may be so bold to say so," he finished as he lowered his hand, "there's absolutely nothing you can do about it!"

On that thought, Jedite's entire body suddenly vanished. No more than a second later, he reappeared right in front of Serena's face! She gasped and widened her eyes in surprise, but didn't step back, even while the demon stared her right in the face.

"I have a small proposition for you, Ms. Tsukino," he said in a calm tone. "You and your weak little friends surrender to me now… and I don't tear you all limb from limb in the most painful I can imagine."

Serena's stare of surprise vanished, replaced by her scowl.

"And if we do?"

"Maybe I just blast you to smithereens. Quick and painless."

"Thanks, but no."

With that response, Jedite's smiling face disappeared, as did the rest of his body. In a sudden breeze, he reappeared back on the top platform, arms crossed, frowning on them.

"Then you'll die with such a stupid choice!" he yelled. "What is your problem?! I have the powers! I have the advantage! I have everything you weaklings don't and more! You have no Sailor powers, no transformation pens, no Silver Crystal! What else do you have?"

"We still have the powers of our hearts!" Serena yelled back. "And that's more than enough to whip you into shape any day of the week!"

Jedite sneered.

"Let's see if those 'powers of the heart' can save you…" Jedite said, "from this!"

He suddenly threw forth both hands, shooting forth a massive fireball of black energy, headed straight for all five of them! The others motioned to start running away, but as the fireball hurdled towards them, Serena reached into her pocket, grabbed something, pulled her hand out, then raised the object into the air above her.

Suddenly, a gargantuan flash of pink light erupted from the object, blinding almost everyone in the area. Jedite covered his eyes with his arm and cape until he was sure the flash of light was gone. When it was, he uncovered his eyes.

The fireball had obviously never reached its destination, for all five sailors were still there, with Serena in the middle, still holding the object over her head, as it glowed a bright pink light. She brought it down in front of her, where it still glowed it brilliant light.

Jedite was astounded. "What in blazes…?"

"Say hello to our new power, Jedite!" Serena exclaimed. "Powered by the force of our heart and souls; the power of our friendship, and the love we all have for each other; the one thing you can never crush; not with a thousand armies, armed with a thousand cannons!"

One by one, each of the other reached into their pockets and drew out out something, and each one immediately started glowing its own respectively colored light. When each of them had taken their own object, there now glowed five brilliant lights before Jedite's eyes, all lined up in a row; blue, red, pink, green, and yellow.

Each light gave off its own flashes of brightness, forcing Jedite to cover his eyes; not only from the intensity of the light, but from the force of the positive energy flowing forth from them.

"It… it's not possible!" Jedite yelled.

"It can and is!" Serena replied. "Get ready for your Judgment Day, demon! Sailor Soldiers…"

Each of them raised their light into the air, letting them levitate above their hands.

"transform!"

"Mercury… Sapphire… Power!"

The sapphire gave off several bright flashes of icy blue light, while the glowing symbol of the planet Mercury appeared on the face of the gem. Instantly, Amy's body was covered from head to toe in a pale blue aura, while streams of icy energy started streaming from the sapphire and encircling her body.

Amy twirled around in them as the gem floated around her, releasing more streams. Finally, the streams came together around her torso, contracted, bonded to her skin, and hardened, forming a layer of ice. In instant later, the ice shattered, revealing the skin-tight sailor suit and blue skirt underneath it! The gem floated up around her arms, and she lifted them into the air, while even more energy was released. The streams split and circled both her forearms, then tightened around them, forming another layer of ice around both of them. When both shattered, her arms had received the elbow-length gloves! The gem then circled around her legs, as did the streams of energy released from it. Once again, the streams formed an icy shell around both legs, which shattered right after its formation, revealing the knee-high blue boots!

She spun around once again, and the blue aura covering the rest of her skin dissolved. The gem floated in front of her torso, then attached itself to the bow on her chest, forming a locket casing around it! Finally, a sparkle of blue light flashed on her forehead, then expanded and stretched across her forehead, forming the blue gem embedded tiara and earrings. When the transformation was complete, Amy had donned the costume of Sailor Mercury!

"Mars… Ruby… Power!"

Streams of fire started flowing from the ruby, as the symbol of Mars appeared in the center of it, glowing brightly. Suddenly, a red glowing aura surrounded Raye's body, as various sparks of flame jumped from the gem.

The gem suddenly let off a long stream of orange fire, then circled around Raye's torso, moving up and and down until it completely surrounded it. The stream then contracted and closed in, and was absorbed into her skin. A second later the fire came back out of the skin, creating a burst of fiery light, then dissolved into the air. Underneath it was now the sailor uniform and red skirt! Another long stream of fire was sent forth from the gem, that swirled down her right arm towards her hand. The stream was absorbed into her skin once again, and once again exited, revealing an elbow-length glove encasing her forearm! The fire then streamed across the her shoulders, over her back, and down her other arm, again being absorbed into her skin. When the fire exited her body and dissolved, the other glove was formed! The gem floated under leg, and released yet another stream of fire, that instantly split into two. One was absorbed into her right foot, the other into the left. When the fire once again came out, her feet wore a pair of red high-heeled shoes!

The gem finally rest on the bow on her chest, forming its own locket around it. At the same time, while Raye spun around and around, a tiny spark of fire erupted on her forehead, that soon formed her red-gemmed tiara and earrings. Raye had received the powers and uniform of Sailor Mars!

"Jupiter… Emerald… Power!"

Thin streaks of white lightning start spurting forth from the green gem, as a glowing Jupiter symbol appeared within it. Immediately after, Lita's body covered itself in a green light, and massive surges of electricity flowed in and out of the emerald.

The gem floated in front of Lita's torso, and various streaks of lightning flowed into the gem, sent through it, and combined into one thick surge of electricity that struck her torso, sending currently of white lightning through it! In a sudden flash of brilliant light, the stream ended and the sailor uniform with green skirt was revealed! The gem circled up her body until it floated between her forearms, as more streams of lightning flowed into the gem; only this time, two thick streaks of lightning were formed from it, striking her arms. Another flash of light, and she was given the elbow-length gloves! The gem once again circled her body until it came across her legs. As before, the streams of electricity were summoned into the emerald, and once again two thick streaks of lightning shot from it, striking her lower legs, sending currents of electricity through them. With yet another flash of bright light, the two green laced boots were formed!

Finally, after the green aura faded away, and the emerald attached itself to Lita's chest, forming a locket all around it, and a thin streak of lightning struck her forehead. Once it stopped, the point of impact was then covered by the green-gemmed tiara, and her ears obtained the earrings. Lita had now become Sailor Jupiter!

"Venus… Topaz… Power!"

The gem glowed a bright yellow light, while thin laser lights shot from in in all directions at once. The planetary symbol of Venus appeared within the gem, glowing just as brightly as the rest of it. And with its glowing, Mina's body was covered in a glowing yellow aura, as more and more laser lights shot in and out of the gem.

Mina danced around in the light energy as the gem emitted its brilliant glow. The topaz floated in front of her chest, and, while inches from it, absorbed countless streams of light from all around it, making it glow even brighter than before. Suddenly, all of Mina's torso was glowing a bright yellow, when faded after only a second or two, but revealed the sailor uniform and orange skirt underneath it! The gem floated over her right hand, as more streams of light were absorbed into the gem, once again making it glow even brighter. Suddenly, the forearm was glowing their own light, just like the torso. While it did, the gem floated over her left hand and performed the exact same thing until it too was glowing. When both lights faded away, both forearms were encased in the elbow-length gloves! The topaz floated down between her ankles, and once again absorbed the laser lights, and once again forming the glow around her feet. When it dissolved, she had received the orange high-heeled shoes!

Finally, the gem attached itself to the bow on her chest and formed its own locket casing. Meanwhile, a bright yellow sparkle appeared on Mina's forward, that brightened and expanded, forming the yellow-gemmed tiara and earrings. By now, Mina had donned the costume of Sailor Venus!

And finally, it was Serena turn.

"Lunar… Diamond… Power!"

As Serena held the diamond high over her head, it glowed a massive light, while rivers of its brilliant pink energy flowed forth from it, and a beautifully decorated locket casing formed itself all around it, with two hinged doors that swung open revealing the gem underneath.

Instantly, all of Serena's body was engulfed from head to toe in a dazzling pink aura of shimmering light. The locket floated between her hands, and she placed it neatly on the center of her chest, while the diamond inside kept glowing and releasing its energy. After the locket attached itself, Serena spun around and around like a dancer, as the rivers of energy encircled her body like a swarm of glowing bees. Finally, she faced forward, and stretched out her arms as the transformation took place.

It started as various ribbons of transparent pink light flowed forth from the locket and surrounded her torso. At the same time, countless tiny orb of pink glowing light formed them selves around Serena's body, and immediately started flowing towards her torso as well. The ribbons of energy then contracted and tightened themselves, bonding to her skin; and as they did, the particles of light swarmed in and made contact with her body as well, creating a burst of bright light. As it dissolved, the ribbons and light orbs were gone, replaced by the sailor uniform! Serena spun her body around, and held her arms up, crossing them over her head. Meanwhile, more energy ribbons were formed from the locket that wrapped themselves around her forearms, and more of the tiny orbs of light formed that as well start flowing in. As the ribbons tightened, the orbs once again made contact, creating another burst of pink light. Now, in place of the ribbons, there were now the elbow length gloves! She spun around once again, then down around her legs, more ribbons came forth and wrapped themselves around her body, and, just as before, more of the particles of pink light formed and were flowing in. As soon as the ribbons tightened and the orbs made contact, there was yet another flash of light, and her legs were encased in the knee-high red boots! She twirled around once again, while the ribbons twisted themselves around her waist. She faced forward again, and the orbs of light flowed in and made contact. With yet another burst of light, the short blue skirt was formed, and at the same time the glowing pink aura dissolved, revealing the rest of her stunning body.

Serena twirled around once again, while the rivers of energy continued circling around her. They soon flowed back into the locket from whence they came, and it closed its hinged doors over them. Serena continued twirling, while the glowing symbol of the crescent moon, the symbol of her bloodline, appeared on her forehead. She finally faced forward, and the symbol gave off a bright flash of light. When it dissolved, the pink-gemmed tiara had formed itself, followed by the earrings, and finally by the jewels in her hair.

Serena had now become the leader of the Sailor Scouts… the dazzling Sailor Moon!

"Unbelievable…" Jedite muttered.

Down below, all of them admired their new wardrobes, for there was more to them than they were used to.

On each of their skirts, there was a shiny silver stripe along the bottom of them, as well as the top and bottom edges of the bows on their sailor suits, and on the back of the sleeves of the elbow-length gloves. On their wrists and ankles, they wore silver bracelets and anklets, each with a respectively-colored gem embedded in it, each shining as brightly as the gems in their new lockets.

"Check it out!" cried Sailor Venus.

"We look better than ever!" Jupiter added.

"Astounding!" said Mercury.

"How incredibly cool!" said Mars.

While all of them basically had the same additions to theirs costumes, Sailor Moon's were most noticeable; the silver stripes were a little shinier, the metal bands on her wrists and ankles were larger, as were the pink gems embedded in them, and her tiara was complemented with an extra golden lining around it and the pink jewel within.

All five of them together like truly was a beautiful sight.

"Well, isn't that special," Jedite said in an unenthusiastic tone, as he walked down several steps. "I suppose I can thank your dear sweet dead mother for all of this… She always was one to interfere with a good scheme; I guess it goes to show you that some things never change."

"Yeah," Sailor Moon replied, "like the fact that we're about to kick your sorry butt all the way back to oblivion! Get used it to, 'cause it's payback time!"

"Talk, talk, talk…" the general mocked. "No action?"

"You want action? We'll give it to you!" Sailor Mercury said, stepping forward. "I am the guardian of the seas and oceans! I have the power to summon a tidal wave capable of crushing an entire city, and to conjure up the most unrelentless of winter blizzards! I'll freeze you in your tracks and shatter you like glass! I am Sailor Mercury!"

"I am the guardian of the fire and inferno!" said Mars, stepping up as well. "You play with me, big boy, you're playin' with fire! And everyone knows that when you play with fire, you're gonna get burned! It's gonna be a hot time in the old town tonight! I am Sailor Mars!"

"I am the guardian of the thunder and lightning!" Jupiter called, following Mars and Mercury. "My will to fight evil is as strong as any thunderstorm on earth, and I'm more than willing to prove it! You take me on, bub, there's no escape from your pain! Shocking, isn't it? I am Sailor Jupiter!"

"I am the guardian of the sun and light!" Venus exclaimed, stepping forward along with the rest. "The light of good has always shined down upon of the evil of the universe, and it always completely burns it out! I'm as beautiful as the sun, and as dangerous as its rays! Get ready for some major sunburn! I am Sailor Venus!"

"And I am Sailor Moon!" their leader said, as she took her place at her friends' sides, "heiress of the Moon Kingdom, champion of love and justice, and your worst nightmare! I, now and until the end of existence, pledge to fight in of the name of the people of the planet Earth; in the name of the moon, I will forever more right wrongs, and triumph over all evil!"

She then pointed an accusing finger straight at Jedite.

"And that most definitely means you!"

Jedite shuddered. "Uuuuh…" he groaned. "Even after ten years, those damn speeches still make my stomach churn!"

He didn't hesitate then to throw his hands forward, sending another large bolt of energy at all five of them. At the same time, Sailor Moon jumped forward, somersaulted onto the platform in front of her, threw up her arms, and sent a blast of pink energy at the projectile, canceling it out!

Jedite grimaced. He didn't like the look this one bit. At the same time, the other Sailors stared in amazement at what their leader had just done.

"How did you do that?" asked Venus.

"It's all part of the new powers, guys," Sailor Moon replied, rising from her kneeled position. "You're in full control of your elemental powers now. Everything you had before has been multiplied a hundred fold!"

"I'm loving this already!" Jupiter said with a smile.

"That's so sweet, I'm getting cavities!" Jedite sneered, as he sent another fireball forward.

Sailor Moon forced her hand forward, sending a flash of light from it that canceled the fireball. Then, instantly afterward, she raced forward, ran up the platform, launched herself at Jedite, and shot past him, slashing her tightly-clenched fist across his ugly face, with a streaming aura of pink light trailing off her arm!

Upon flying past him, she performed a somersault in mid-air, then landed acrobatically on the top platform! She instantly turned around to face Jedite again, and watched as he still recovering from her attack. Even the trail of energy that was left behind was still dissolving in the air!

After several seconds, Jedite shook off the blow, then whirled around and growled like a wild animal, clenching his teeth and hands furiously. Sailor Moon, meanwhile, shifted her body into a fighting stance, ready for whatever he had.

Just then, Jedite yelled angrily and ran up the steps, headed straight for her, ready to execute one of his energy attacks. However, right before he reached her, she spun around and dodged to the side, then whirled around and delivered a sudden kick to the back of his neck! A small explosion of pink energy erupted from the impact, as Jedite was sent stumbling forward! He shook off the blow again, then whirled around to face her, only to be greeted by another punch to the face!

The other Sailors watched in awe at how much their leader's powers had been enhanced. They could only imagine what they themselves were capable of as well.

Jedite stumbled back more in surprise, but again shook it off and threw a glowing punch of his own. But Sailor Moon quickly blocked it with a mere lift of her arm, then whirled and performed a stylish spinning kick that hit Jedite right in the chest, sending him flying backwards with another small explosion of energy! Before he flew too far, Jedite stopped himself in mid-air and floated where he was, staring down on Sailor Moon with enraged eyes!

He raised his hands in the air, and started building up a large ball of evil energy. Meanwhile, Sailor Moon placed her hands at her side, one over the other, and started building up her own projectile.

Suddenly, from down below, a large stream of burning fire flew up and struck Jedite in the back! He grunted in pain as his backside was burned, and he lost his concentration, forcing the energy ball to dissolve. Sailor Moon as well lost her concentration on the energy buildup, and as well lost her attack, as she looked down to see where the blast had come from.

At the bottom of the stairs, with her arm outstretched, indicating it was the source of the fire, was Sailor Mars, with small flames trailing off her hand, while Mercury, Jupiter, and Venus watched in surprise.

Mars lowered her arm and watched the trailing flames in disbelief as well. She then smiled maliciously.

"Awesome!" she said.

Jedite whirled around and growled.

"This is so cool!" she continued, turning to the other three. "Come on! Show him what we're made of!"

As she said these words, the surprised expressions on the faces of Sailors Mercury, Jupiter, and Venus, disappeared, and were replaced with smiles of confidence.

Jedite yelled again and started flying towards her, but Mars saw him coming and stepped forward. She forced her flaming right hand forward first, followed by her left, sending two more fireballs shooting upward! The general tried to dodge in time, but was hit in the shoulder by the first. However, he then stopped and dodged to the side, allowing the second to fly past him. It was at very same time that Sailor Jupiter stepped up and forced both arms up, sending twin spurts of electrical energy at Jedite, that both hit in the chest!

The attacks hardly moved Jedite, but the pain they were causing was obvious, as he huffed and puffed while still floating in mid-air. He lifted his hands again, ready to shoot a large fireball again.

"Cover your eyes!" Venus yelled, as she stepped forward.

While her friends did as she said, she placed her hands up, and suddenly a massive burst of blinding light illuminated the air! Jedite, with his hands still over his head, was unable to avoid the light, and screamed as his eyes were burned by the intense light. He then shot his glowing hands forward, and, instead of sending one massive fireball, sent three large fireballs shooting at them!

It was then that Sailor Mercury made her way to the front and built up a gathering of icy energy on her right hand. She then spun to her right, made a full 360-degree turn, and waved her hand across the air in front, and released her buildup of energy, creating a large wave of icy energy that shot at the three fireballs and formed a veil of thick, cold mist that floated in place as the projectiles flew through it! However, they didn't get too far afterward, for a fraction of a second after passing through the mist, they were covered in a thick layer of ice, stopped in mid-air, then fell to the floor after after another, creating the explosions they would have made had they reached their destination!

As the dust cleared, the large holes were now in the floor where the iced fireballs landed, as Jedite rubbed his eyes from the flash of light and recovered from it.

Sailor Moon smiled at the sight of it. This was already looking good.

Jedite raised his hands over his had once more, and didn't hesitate to throw another massive ball of energy at all four of them!

Sailor Mercury once again took the lead, as she knelt down to the ground and placed her hands over it. Suddenly, a flash of blue light emanated from her fingers, and from the floor in front of her, a gigantic wall of thick blue ice shot up from the ground, shielding all four of them!

The projectile made contact with the wall of ice, and was instantly shattered! But as it was, a cover of thick blue fog sprouted forth from the explosion and made everything it covered impossible to see! It spread all the way to where Jedite floated, and he started brushing it away, with no progress.

"What the-?" he said. "I don't believe this!"

Suddenly, from out of the fog, there came three shots of elemental energy, one after another; one, a stream of fire, the second, a streak of lightning, and the third, a beam of pure sunlight.

All three hit Jedite simultaneously, sending him flying backwards! Meanwhile, the fog cleared away, revealing Sailors Mars, Jupiter, and Venus in front with their arms outstretched, each one trailing their own energies.

As Jedite flew backwards from the triple blast, Sailor Moon, still on the top platform, leapt into the air, flew over Jedite head, and as she passed him kicked back her foot, hitting him in the chest! Yet another small explosion of pink energy erupted from the hit, and Jedite was sent flying downward, smashing into his own throne chair, and in turn smashing it to pieces, while Sailor Moon landed safely on the ground with her friends by her side!

"What's the matter, Jedite?" she asked. "Not having fun like you usually do?"

Jedite was now struggling to get up. And even when he made progress in doing so, his hand would slip on a loose piece of his chair, and that would send him to the floor again. He eventually did get up, then outstretched his body, looking as if nothing had happened.

"Is that your best?" he asked.

The Sailors were getting agitated. Even after their fierce attack, Jedite was obviously still in his prime… or was he?

"I've got to be careful…" he thought. "Their powers are a lot more than I expected… If they attack me all at once, then that could destroy me! And if worse comes to worse, I may have to destroy this planet, and them, and ME along with it! Well, I simply can't let that happen, now can I?"

"You're gonna bite it," Zoycite's sing-song voice echoed in his head.

"Give it up, Jed…" said Nephlite.

"You'll be thanking us later," Malachite added.

"Shut up, shut up!" he yelled out, loud, putting his hands over his ears, trying to block out the voices. "I don't want to hear you anymore!"

Down below, the Sailors were somewhat confused.

"What is he doing?" asked Jupiter.

"I think he's gone completely wacko!" said Venus.

"Well, this IS Jedite we're talking about," said Mercury. "I think all his years of killing and destroying, and all that's led up to this battle have finally gotten to his mind. He's probably seeing things that aren't there; things that are telling him he can't win; things that are pretty much driving him nuts!"

"Well, he can't win!" said Sailor Moon. "Not after all he's done to us. This time, he pays, regardless of his psychological condition… or lack thereof!"

Jedite opened his eyes to view the Sailors down below, except now he saw the ghostly forms of Nephlite, Zoycite, and Malachite, standing among his enemies. He knew they were there, really there, but the Sailors couldn't see them. Where they right? Was he finally going mad? Or were these spirits real, and telling him the truth of the matter?

These questions weren't helping him get anything done.

"Face it, Jedite, you're finished," said Zoycite. "These girls here have won! You're toast."

"Or as Ms. Moon here would put it…" said Malachite, "…'moondusted'."

"And do you hear what they're saying about you down below?" asked Nephlite. "They think you're crazy, Jedite! I guess that really just how much more they know than you do!"

"Stop it!" Jedite yelled, truly going mad. "Stop it, I say! For the love of God, stop it!"

In a fit of rage, Jedite threw his hands from his ears and down towards the Sailors, more in fact towards the spirits, and shot forth several large projectiles of energy! Everyone dodged each one, and the impact of them obliterated the floor they were standing on! When the dust cleared and the debris fell, all the Sailor Soldiers were lying on the ground from the sudden blast, and the spirits standing among them were gone.

Jedite looked around for Sailor Moon, who he saw lying at the bottom of the stairs, struggling to get up.

"Now then," he said. "Let's get down to it."

On that thought, he jumped off the top, somersaulted through the air, and landed at the near bottom of the stairs, right in front of the weakened Sailor Moon. He grinned evilly, as she lifted her head up and saw him looming over her like a gargoyle of evil.

It was then that he kicked out his foot and sent her flying through the air, right over the edge of the rooftop!

Sailor Moon screamed as she saw herself fly away from from the roof, but she soon was saved as Sailor Mars awoke from her temporary unconsciousness, ran over to the gap in the floor, ducked down, and shot out her arm, grabbing Sailor Moon by the hand and stopping her fall! However, the force of the drop pulled Mars over the edge with Sailor Moon, but fortunately for both of them, Mars managed to grab hold of the edge just as she was falling off as well!

She strained for a moment, but she soon regained her strength and was able to hold on, as well as keep her grip on Sailor Moon. However, Jedite walked up to the edge and stood over Sailor Mars, still grinning.

"My what a situation," he said. "And to think, with but one step of my foot, I'll get of two of you annoying lady-soldiers at once. I like those results."

He lifted his foot into the air, ready to crush Sailor Mars's only means of saving herself; the one hand she had to hang on with.

However, just as the general was about to step down, like a flash of lightning, Sailor Jupiter rushed in front the side, launched herself at Jedite, and tackled him! The two rolled across the ground several times, then separated and got back onto their feet, staring each other in the eyes! Jupiter got ready for any attack, and Jedite growled angrily.

He came at her with a mighty punch, followed by another. Jupiter dodged both of them, then shot an uppercut into his face! The impact created a spark of electricity, and the force of the punch sent Jedite stumbling backwards. Jupiter followed with several more punches, sending Jedite back further and further, then spun around and kicked him in the face! The force sent him stumbling around, until he shook off the blow and faced her again.

Meanwhile, Mars and Moon still struggled for their survival.

"He's back where he was before!" Mars called out. "On the count of three, I'm gonna toss you back onto the roof, all right?"

"Gotcha, Mars!"

"Okay… 1… 2… 3!"

With one strong pull of her arm, Sailor Mars hoisted Sailor Moon up and over her head, throwing her into the air and towards the roof! Once airborne, Sailor Moon made a flip in the air, and sent herself flying towards Jedite! She yelled out into the night, just as Jedite and saw her, and she kicked out and hit him in the chest! He went flying into a portion of the floating stairs, breaking them apart!

He landed in the center of the rooftop, right underneath where his throne was. He shook off the dust and got back up, and flew towards his nemesis. He landed before her, and Sailor Moon attacked!

She took a swing at his face, followed by another and another, but each time Jedite dodged. She threw a fourth punch, only to have it buried in the general's massive fist. He then smashed the back of his other fist across her face, sending her flying to side! Sailor Jupiter came in from the side, but Jedite shot out his foot and kicked her in the chest! She flew backwards, landed on her back, and slid across the floor until she was about to fall off the edge of the roof, where she fortunately came to screeching halt!

It was then that Sailor Mars went back into action. She put both hands on the edge of the rooftop, hoisted herself back onto her feet, ran forward, and jumped into the air, flying at Jedite. In the air, Mars extended her leg, and it suddenly and magically set itself aflame! Jedite had little time to react, for by the time he saw her coming, she kicked him right in the face, sending him backwards in an explosion of fire!

Mars landed on her feet again, and the flames on her leg dissolved. Jedite slowly got back up again, brandishing a small smoking area on the chest of his costume. With a quick swish of his hand, the smoke went away, leaving only a burn spot.

The first sign of physical damage he'd ever shown since his return to Earth.

Jedite raised his arms, and several flashes of black light erupted from them. He then shot them both forward, shooting a beam of evil energy aimed straight for Sailor Mars!

In a desperate defense, Sailor Mars dished out some old moves of hers.

"Mars… Fire… Ignite!"

Foom!

To her surprise, a massive stream of flame exploded from her fingertips and shot forward, meeting the beam of the evil energy at the midpoint between them! The two attacks held each other off for quite a while. What Sailor Moon had said before was right; the power of their old attacks had been multiplied a hundred fold, as was clearly displayed by this standoff.

However, this attack was still not strong enough, for the beam of energy finally cut its way through the fire, until it had almost reached Sailor Mars herself. But before it could reach her, Mars threw her arms into the air, sending the end of the beam into the sky, where it exploded in a burst of light! Meanwhile, Mars was thrown backwards, landing on her back and hitting her head on the floor!

It was only now that Sailors Mercury and Venus were starting to come to, for after the explosion they had hit their heads pretty badly, knocking them out.

"Whoa…" said Mercury, rubbing her sore head. "What happened?"

"Don't you remember?" asked Venus. "Jedite went nuts and tried to blow us to kingdom come!"

"Oh, yeah…"

"Did someone mention me?"

Both of them turned to see Jedite facing them. They instantly jumped to their feet, getting ready to face him in combat. They then raced at him and attacked simultaneously, with little progress. As Mercury came forward, Jedite simply swatted her to side like an insect, and as Venus came up, he grabbed her by the neck and lifted her off the floor.

"Ah, Sailor Venus…" he said. "Or should I call you Sailor V? Or how about just Mina, now that we're trying to get past the formalities?"

All Venus could do was struggle for air, while Jedite held his tight grip on her neck.

"It certainly is a surprise seeing you here again," he said. "Now that I look back on our past together, I remember all those headaches you used to give me back when we both were just getting started in jolly old England. How many years has it been since then, hmm? Eleven years? Twelve? How many years thinking that you'd seen the last of me?"

Venus finally managed to loosen his grip a little; not much, but enough so that she could breath again. She tried not to let that be known.

"How many years, thinking you had already won," he continued, sounding less and less hospitable, "while I waited, day in and day out, for the time when I would finally get my revenge on you?! How long, huh?! How long?!… Well, I suppose it doesn't much matter at this point. Any way it goes, Madam Venus, I'm certainly going to enjoy getting my payback!"

"Payback this!"

She suddenly thrust her palm into his face, and an intense burst of bright yellow light exploded from her hand, right in Jedite's unsuspecting eyes!

The general screamed in pain and stumbled backwards, dropping Sailor Venus. His hands covered his eyes, while he stumbled blindly around the rooftop.

"Aaah, my eyes!" he screamed. "Curse you, you little witch!"

"No, Jedite, I curse you," she said, preparing her next attack. She outstretched her arms, and two orbs of light started forming in her hands. She waited for the right moment to use them…

… Then it came. Jedite removed his hands from his eyes, and weakly opened them, trying to get a lock on Venus, but everything was extremely blurry. That's when Venus threw forth her left hand, shooting a beam of sunlight into his eyes again!

Jedite covered his eyes and screamed in pain again, while Venus continued her attacks. She threw forth her right arm, then her left, then her right again, sending a bright beam of light at Jedite's body each time! The beam struck in different areas, sending Jedite backwards more and more, towards the edge of the roof. Finally, he was teetering on the very edge, and one more shot would send him off.

Venus took this opportunity and shot one final beam of light at him.

But unfortunately for her, Jedite suddenly regained his senses, and rushed off to the side, disappearing completely, just as the beam went shooting by, striking the building next door.

Venus was astounded. Where did he go?

"You missed me…" his sinister voice said.

Venus whirled around and saw Jedite standing right behind her! He immediately struck at her, knocking her to the floor! He tried to stomp on her, but she rolled out of the way just in time. Once on her feet again, she shot out her hand and shot another beam of light at him.

Jedite simply arched his back slightly and turned his head to the side, and the beam went shooting past, just missing his nose!

The attack missed him. But it was still enough to distract him for a moment, so that some of the other Sailors could take the lead. As his head was turned, Sailors Mars and Jupiter grouped together and charged! Jedite turned his head back in time to see them, but it was still too late! As she charged past, Sailor Jupiter threw a strong punch, landing it deep in his stomach! Jedite hunched over and let out an "Oof!" Right afterward, Sailor Mars came rushing by, swiping him across the face with a another punch!

As Jedite recovered from the two attacks, then turned to face both Sailors, who were both ready for him.

Mars started off with another rushing punch. Jedite dodged it, allowing Mars to run by. Mars turned and took another swipe at his head, but he ducked it in time. He reacted with a hit to her face, knocking her backwards! Sailor Jupiter came in from behind and tried to kick him in the back. Jedite whirled around, grabbed her foot, and twisted it around, sending Jupiter spinning to the floor! She rolled around several times, then kicked up his foot and hit him in the side! The hit caused no pain, but it sent Jedite turning in the opposite direction, where his face was greeted by a powerful spinning kick, courtesy of Sailor Mars!

Jedite went stumbling in place again, but got his balance again. But as soon as he did, he faced forward just in time to see Sailor Venus's hand pop up from out of nowhere, and flash him in the face again with another burst of light!

He screamed in pain and stumbled backwards, while Jupiter and Mars made their next move. They both ran at Jedite simultaneously, and jumped at him! Jedite uncovered his eyes, and his head was jerked to the side as Sailor Mars flew past, striking his face with her outstretched foot! Just as she landed, Sailor Jupiter flew past Jedite as well, hitting him in the face with the same attack, sending him stumbling in the opposite direction!

Then Venus came at him. While he was still incapacitated from the constant attacks, she flung herself at him with a barrage of punches to the face! Each impact made a burst of light, while forcing Jedite back more and more! Finally, she hit him with a right punch, followed by a left, then she spun around and smashed the back of her fist across his face! Finally, she spun around again and kicked him in the chest, sending him stumbling backwards!

Venus then began her final assault with an old technique.

"Venus… Love Chain… Encircle!"

The string of glowing hearts came shooting towards Jedite, only this one was ten times longer then her old one, glowing twice as brightly, and it came at him three times as fast! Once it started, it coiled into a drill-like spiral, and spun towards him like a screwdriver, going so fast it looked like a missile of light!

Then it hit him, and his body went numb.

The attack hit him in the chest, and passed completely through his body, making no apparent damage to his body, but unmistakably causing him pain! The chain dissolved once it went out his back, and Jedite's body trembled, then fell to its knees.

Then, while Jedite had no more defense, Venus finished her attack with someone no one saw coming.

She raised her hands high above her head, with her palms facing the sky. Suddenly, two beams of light came shooting down from the sky, striking her hands, and when they were gone, the symbol of the planet Venus appeared on both her palms, and glowed with intense light.

Then, the sky all around them began to darken even more than before, and small flickers of yellow started floating towards Venus's hands, coming from any and every light source within the next mile or so, including the lightning flashing across the sky, and the torches around the rooftop. Everyone looked around, wondering what in the world was happening. The sky grew increasingly dark, until it was near pitch black. Even the lightning could not illuminate it. Meanwhile, the flickering lights extracted from the light sources, and continued flowing into Venus's hands until they were both glowing like stars. She twirled around and lowered her arms, and held them out at her sides, while the intensity of the light grew more and more.

"Venus… Solar Beam…"

She faced Jedite at last, knelt to the floor, and held her hands over her head, ready to deliver this strange new attack.

"Flash!"

She threw her hands forward, and a massive, blinding beam of infinitely intense sunlight shot forth from her hands, illuminating the entire rooftop, and the sky all around it! Jedite lifted his head up, and his eyes widened with terror as he saw the beam headed straight for him! There was nothing he could do. He was too weak at the moment to deflect or destroy it, and he couldn't simply zip out of its path before it hit.

The beam finally reached him, and at first he wasn't moved. The light blew past him like an incoming hurricane, blowing his hair and cape the wind behind him. He covered his eyes from the intense light, but his eyes still burned!\

He could hold his ground no longer. His entire body was blown backwards from the force of the solar beam, and he blew through the air along with it, flying clear off the roof and into the side of the next building! Even then it wasn't over, for an explosion erupted from the impact, and he was thrown inside! The entire level of the building he flew into was lit up with bright yellow light, that beamed out from the windows all around, blowing them to pieces! Finally, the explosion went out the other side of the building, and by the time everything had happened, a massive hole had blown in the whole thing!

Everyone was speechless.

"Venus…" said Sailor Moon. "How on earth did you do that?"

"I… I don't know…" she replied, looking just as dazed as her friends. "I just felt this power inside of me, waiting to come out… and then boom! I blew Jedite into next next Thursday!"

Everything gathered around the edge of the roof facing the hole, looking through and searching for any sign of Jedite. All they saw was rising smoke from the explosions, several sparks of light remaining from the solar beam, and of course, the gaping hole. But no Jedite.

"Could Venus have… destroyed him?" asked Mars.

"I don't know…" said Sailor Moon. "Let's just wait and see…"

Everything was silent for quite a while. But it was not to last.

Suddenly, a spark of black light flash from the center of the hole, shot towards the Sailors, turned into a large fireball, and hit Sailor Venus right the chest! The impact sent Venus flying backwards, landing on her back and lying unconscious!

"Venus!" cried Jupiter, who rushed over to her side, followed by the others.

Mercury quickly examined her. There was a slight burn mark on her chest, her breathing was somewhat erratic, and she was out for the count. She was very much alive, but the impact of the surprise fireball would take her out of action for quite a while.

Just then, lightning crashing in the distance, and the sky was lit up again as it was before. The remaining Sailor Soldiers turned to see Jedite standing atop the wrecked building. He was somewhat hunched over, he had a larger burn mark on his body, and part of his cape was ripped off. And boy, did he look mad.

"My, my, my… aren't we… full of surprises…" he huffed. "I have… to admit, that was… quite an attack she used… It knocked… the wind out of me… Sorry I… have to kill her…"

"Not while we're still around!" Sailor Moon said defiantly. "Mina may be out of it for a while, but we still have what we need to get rid of you!"

Jedite just stood up straight, sneered on his enemies, then rushed off to the side and disappeared. The Sailors all looked around for him, awaiting his next move, only catching glimpses of him as he rushed around them, obviously still strong enough to take them on.

Suddenly, all four of them went down as Jedite suddenly whisked in and struck them in surprise! He stopped next to Sailor Moon first, and struck her in the face, sending her onto her back! Then, he rushed behind Sailor Mercury and kicked her in the back! Then, he whirled around Sailor Mars and hit her in the face, sending her flying head on into the stairs! Sailor Jupiter saw the attacks and knew she was next, and attempted to defend herself. Using her enhanced senses, she saw Jedite pop in behind her, and threw up her arm to block a punch! But it wasn't enough. Right after the punch, Jedite whirled around and delivered a powerful kick to the face!

Jupiter helplessly went sailing off the edge of the rooftop. She turned around in mid-air until she faced the ground. She realized the extreme danger of her situation, and made a desperate move. She curled her body into a ball, and called upon an old move of hers…

"Jupiter… Thunder… Crash!"

She stretched out her body, and the lightning streamed forth from the antenna extended from her tiara! It flew into the blackness below, and her body's descent slowed down considerably, until it came to a complete stop! The antenna then gave off a larger, more powerful shot of lightning, that streamed downward upon the ground and pushed her body upward and back up over the edge of the roof! She made a full backflip in mid-air, and she landed gracefully on the floor again, then turned to Jedite, who held Sailor Mercury by the neck, lifting her off the floor as if about to destroy her.

"Hey, Bluto!" she called out.

Jedite turned and tossed Sailor Mercury to the side.

"Shouldn't you be a street pancake right about now?" he asked.

"You just keep talkin', pal, and we'll see who's getting cooked in the next few minutes!" Jupiter spouted.

"Oh please," he sneered. "You think you can take me alone?"

"Venus did, and see what she did to you?" she replied.

Jedite growled and rushed at her with the intention of grabbing her and throwing her back over the edge of the roof, except when he got too close, Jupiter jumped to the side and disappeared! Jedite wrapped his arms around thin air. He looked around to find her, seeing nothing.

"So you wanna play speed games, huh?" Jupiter's voice called out from everywhere at once. "I can play that game too!"

Jedite whirled around several times, seeing Jupiter standing around him in what seemed like several places at once! She continued rushing around, causing a breeze that kicked up the dust and blew around Jedite's cape.

"Pretty cool, huh?" the voice called. "Now that my powers are pumped up beyond belief, I can move as quick as lightning!"

She finally attacked. She stopped right behind Jedite and punched him in the back; a punch that exploded with a blast of electric energy! Jedite went stumbling forward, then whirled around and took a swipe at her! Jupiter ducked the attack and smashed him in the face! Jedite took several swings at her, but Jupiter ducked or blocked the attack and hit him again and again, each time creating a spark of electricity! She took yet another punch at him, but this time he dodged the attack, grabbed her arm, and twisted it behind her back! Jupiter shot back her other arm to hit him, but he grabbed it and held it behind her back along with the other one.

Jupiter was trapped. Jedite had both her arms tightly held in place. But did that stop her? Hell no!

While in her "trapped" position, Jupiter jumped off the ground, flipped her legs over Jedite's head, and ended up standing behind Jedite, with her arms binding his! Jedite was so large, however, that her feet were still some two or so feet off the ground, but she still had him where she wanted him!

Jedite then started waving around like a lunatic, trying to get Jupiter off his back! But Jupiter would not let go. Finally, Jedite backed up into a section of the stairs and banged his back against them, hitting Jupiter with them as well! But she would still not give up!

Suddenly, Jupiter's eyes started glowing and electric white, as did the jewel in her tiara. Then, surges of electricity started swarming across her body, as she became a giant living battery, channeling her electric energy all around! The surges increased in size, and spread all around her, and were circulated into Jedite, electrocuting him! He screamed out in pain, while Jupiter held on tight and concentrated her power on Jedite!

The general was defenseless at first, for the electric power being forced through him was causing indescribable pain! But he finally broke free when he drove his elbow into her stomach, then knocked her away with another hit to the face, knocking Jupiter to the floor!

Jedite's body shook a little from the shock, but he soon regained his senses. He saw Jupiter struggling to get up, her body shaking as well.

He then shot his hand forward and threw an energy ball at her! Fortunately, it was then that Jupiter turned her head head up and saw it coming! She turned towards the incoming energy ball, threw her hands forward, and shot a bolt of lightning from her fingertips! The two attacks met halfway and canceled each other out in a bright burst of light!

While Jedite covered his eyes from the flash, Jupiter got to her feet, ran forward and through the dust, lunged at Jedite, and rammed him with her shoulder!

Jedite stumbled backwards, while Jupiter steadied herself. Jedite was a lot harder to budge than he looked. It made her wonder how Sailor Moon was able to do it.

The sudden sound of a moaning voice caught Jupiter's attention, and she turned to the floor to see Sailor Venus lying next to her. Jupiter knelt down and held her head up, as she was beginning to open her eyes again.

"Hey, girlfriend, how're you feelin'?" she asked.

"I took a fireball to the chest," Venus weakly replied. "How do you think I feel?"

"Don't worry," Jupiter said. "I give him one for you!"

Jupiter got back and started walking towards Jedite, who was just recovering from Jupiter's shoulder attack. Once at a safe distance from her weakened friend, Jupiter stood in a tall, powerful stance, with her enraged eyes set firmly on Jedite. Jedite finally regained his stance and turned to her.

"I've had more shopping days with the girl than any of my friends!" she spouted. "You're payin' for it if that ends because of you!"

"Bring it on, little girl!" Jedite challenged. "God knows I'm ready and waiting for it!"

On that thought, Jupiter started her attack.

She stood with her feet together, turned her head to the sky, and stretched out her arms. The jewel in her tiara gave off a short flash of green light. All of a sudden, the skies over her head began flashing with a electric light, the true source of which was concealed by the swirling black clouds. Meanwhile, small, thing streams of electrical energy flowed through her fingertips and her tiara. The antenna again extended from the tiara, and it too started conducting its own electricity.

Just then, loud bursts of thunder came exploding from the sky, as thin streaks of lightning shot down from the glowing clouds, striking the ground around Jupiter's position, while more and more electricity went circling around her body! The streaks came closer and closer, until they were almost striking her! Finally, the electricity from the lightning joined that of her body, and all of it went circulating around and through her, as she raised her arms to her sides, and her fingertips were almost glowing.

"Jupiter… Supreme… Lightning…"

Jedite didn't want to waste time. In an effort to stop this new attack, he charged at her with the intention of disrupting her buildup of power. However, as he came within five feet of her, another streak of lightning came from out of the sky and hit him in the chest, sending him backwards! He landed on his back and rolled across the ground, them got back up, clutching his chest.

Suddenly, from the clouds above, there came one massive, blinding bolt of lightning that shot down from the sky, right towards Sailor Jupiter!

As the bolt came towards her, Jupiter raised her arms over head, as all the electricity in her body came together in her hands. Then, the bolt of lightning struck her, and all of its power went into her hands, forming a massive glowing ball of electricity! When the bolt finally dissolved, Jupiter threw her hands forward, and a massive stream of electric energy went surging towards Jedite!

"Electrify!"

The stream hit Jedite directly in the chest, and super-high-concentrated surges of electricity went coursing through his very bloodstream, electrocuting him! Jedite screeched out into the night, while streams of lightning went circling his body, and his arms and legs started shaking violently!

Finally, the stream ended, and Jedite was thrown backwards! He fell flat onto his back, while his body still vibrated, and extra sparks were still dissolving off his body.

It was only now that the others were recovering from Jedite's attacks, and seeing what Jupiter dished out on the villain.

"What did you just do?" asked Venus.

"I gave him the shock of his life!" Jupiter replied, sporting a satisfied grin.

"This isn't over… !" Jedite said, as he started to rise. "I'm not anywhere near finished yet!"

All of them turned to see Jedite, getting to his feet, still shaking, clutching his chest from the pain. The Sailors made their bodies ready for their next move, but watched as Jedite was looking worse and worse. When it looked like he was about to fall again, they relaxed themselves. It didn't seem as if the general had that much fight left in him, for he didn't even have his head lifted yet; in fact, he wasn't even off his knees yet.

Sailor Moon took the lead, and slowly stepped towards him, then stopped when she was ten feet away. She didn't want to get too close.

And with good reason as well. Seconds after she halted, Jedite fully rose from the ground, looking yet again like nothing had happened.

"Gotcha!" he yelled.

He then threw forth his arm and sent several large orbs of black energy at them! They dodged to the side as they came at them, but even so, when the orbs were in the vicinity of where they were standing, they exploded! The force sent Venus, Jupiter, and Mercury to the floor, while Sailors Moon and Mars rolled across the ground and got back to their feet. The others too weren't harmed, for they got back up instantly after falling down.

"Go on," said Jedite nonchalantly. "Talk amongst yourselves, contemplate your next move, all that strategic crap that isn't getting you anywhere anyway…"

They regrouped and discussed their next course of action.

"Okay, we've got him reeling from our new attacks," said Venus. "Soon, he'll be weak enough to destroy right?"

"Right," said Sailor Moon. "So we just keep hitting him till he's down, then take him out! And in the meantime, try not to get hit ourselves! Now then… one of should distract him for a second or two so one of us can hit him from behind!"

"That's sneaky, underhanded, and downright rotten!" said Mars.

"You like it?"

"Like it? I love it!" she said. "Hell, I volunteer to get him from behind!"

"Great, we're ready then," she said. "Let's go!"

They separated and face Jedite. After several seconds of stillness, all five of them charged at him! Sailor Moon took the lead and started the onslaught with a kick to the face! Jedite dodged it. Mercury then came at him with a punch. Blocked. Jupiter attacked with a sweeping kick. Jedite jumped over it. Venus threw a punch. Jedite blocked and threw a punch of his own. Venus grabbed him arm and pulled it to the side, temporarily holding him in place. Finally, Sailor Mars stepped up and kicked him in the face! Jedite almost instantly recovered from the kick, then threw Venus to the side and took a downward swipe at Mars! Mars backed away from the attack, and Jedite's hand smashed into the floor, his fingers getting lodged in the pavement! While he struggled to free them, Sailor Mars stepped up his arm, over his head, and jumped over his body, kicking him in the back on the way over, launching herself forward!

She landed some ten feet behind Jedite, who upon freeing his hand from the ground, turned to deliver an attack, only to receive a punch from behind!

Jedite turned once again, and received several more punches to the face, all from Sailor Moon!

It was during this time that Sailor Mars started her "sneaky, underhanded, and downright rotten" surprise attack. She whipped out her hand from behind her back, and magically produced a long piece of white paper in a small burst of flame. The paper was at least a foot long, three inches wide, and printed with several ancient Japanese symbols.

"Here's an oldie but a goody," she thought. "I summon the awesome power of the planet Mars…"

She concentrated her energies from within, and an upward draft of wind was created. Suddenly, the paper flashed a white light and straightened itself like a piece of cardboard!

"Fireballs Charge!"

Mars threw the paper from her fingers, and it flew at Jedite, trailing a red flame from the printed symbols. It hit Jedite and attached itself to his backside, and started glowing once again. Jedite screamed out into the night sky as his backside was burned by the intense power that small scroll struck him with!

Jedite ignored the pain and blasted a burst of energy at the other Sailors, knocking them away from him. He then whirled around and blinding shot a wave of dark energy at Sailor Mars, which she ducked just in time! It flew over her hand and slice some of the floating platforms in half! The general reached behind his back, grabbed the burning scroll, and ripped from his back, then tightly closed his fist around it, shredding it to pieces! He looked up at Sailor Mars, and glared evilly.

As soon as Mars was on her feet again, Jedite came at her, both arms swinging! Mars used her martial arts expertise to dodged his attacks and deliver a few of her own, but Jedite diverted all of them.

Finally, Mars started sending some powered attacks at Jedite, each one producing floating trails of burning flames! Jedite dodged all of them, until Mars made a straight chops at his head! He dodged to the side, but the flames just cut him across the right side of his face, making a burn mark! Jedite stumbled backwards in surprise, then felt the burned area of his face, feeling a small scar.

Mars then shot her hands forward, sending a series of fire streams at Jedite. The first one hit him in the chest, sending him backwards again, but each one afterward was dodged or destroyed. She then sent two of them at him simultaneously. One just missed his head, and the other went downward and exploded under his feet! Jedite levitated off the ground and flew into the sky, where he looked down on Sailor Mars triumphantly.

"Staying up there isn't going to save you, Jedite!" Mars yelled. "So why don't you come down here and fight me like someone with dignity?"

"To hell with dignity, Mars!" the general replied. "I'm having too much fun!"

He suddenly shot several beams of energy at her, each one barely missing her feet as she dodged backwards. Mars looked behind her and saw one of the floating platforms, and as Jedite shot another beam at her, she jumped into the air, backflipped, and landed on the platform! She then off it, flung herself at Jedite feet-first, and kicked him in the chest and head with both feet! Jedite flew backwards, while Mars fell and landed on the ground again!

Jedite stopped his backwards flight, and made ready to attack Sailor Mars again, when suddenly a blast of pink light came up from the ground and shot him the chest! Jedite was temporarily weakened by the blast, and Mars looked forward to see Sailor Moon on her knees, arm raised to the sky.

Mars gave her friend the thumbs-up on her surprise attack, then began one of her own.

She stood with her feet together, and raised her arms upwards, trailing a stream of flame from each one, forming a circle or fire around her! She then brought her hands in front of her and formed them in a prayer-like fashion with a space of about three inches between them. The circle of fire then condensed and was sucked into the space between her hands, forming a large bubbling sphere of flame.

"Mars… Extreme… Inferno…"

She started twirling around with her arms outstretched, each one holding a ball of fire, and both trailing small sparks of flame. She faced forward once again, and she brought her hands together, and a massive blast of intense fire prayed forth from her fingers!

"Blaze!"

As soon as the stream left her hands, it split apart into a twenty smaller balls of flame, that all came at Jedite like a swarm of bees! Once they reached him, the separated and started circling around his body, getting dangerously close to him! Jedite swatted at the flames like they were insects, keeping them away from him as they came too close!

But he couldn't dodge them forever. Suddenly, one of the flames hit him right in the middle of his back, shot through his body, and came out his chest! Jedite screamed in pain as the flame went through him. But it didn't end there, for as soon as the first flame went through, others began their attacks. One by one, the flames shot at him at some area of his body, and went out the other end, and Jedite's screams got louder and louder, and the flames kept swarming around him!

Finally, after the last flame had passed through him, all the flames flew high up into the air, joined together and formed the massive stream of fire, hovered in the air for a second, then came shooting downward and hit Jedite right in the chest! An explosion erupted from the impact, and Jedite was sent flying backwards, crashing into the stairs underneath his throne!

"Roasted…" Mars taunted, "and toasted!"

The general slowly rose from the floor, and stood with his body shaking a little. He was getting even weaker then before, but he still looked battle-ready.

"Let me show you some real heat!" he snapped.

She suddenly shot forth a massive burst of black flames from his hands, that turned into a thin stream and started circling around Mars's body! Mars covered herself from the flames, for their heat was five times as intense as any ordinary flame! Finally, the flame went high over Mars's head and then shot downward!

Suddenly, a blue stream of energy shot in from the side, spread out over Mars's head, and turned into a thick sheet of blue ice, just as the flame was about to touch bottom! The flame hit the ice, and it dispersed in the air, while the ice shattered into a thousand pieces! Mars covered his head from the flying shards and tossing sparks!

Jedite turned to the side and saw Sailor Mercury standing up. She was the one who made the ice.

"Of all the people you could have attacked in their dreams, you picked ME out first!" she called out. "I don't like favoritism! And I especially don't like people who try and screw around with my subconscious! And I was having such a good dream too, before YOU came along!"

"So I mess a few good things up! Sue me already!"

Jedite started flying downward, diving straight at her! But Mercury dodged to the side, and left a giant wall of ice behind her! Jedite couldn't stop in time, and smashed into it, smashing it to pieces! Jedite rolled across the ground then got back onto his feet, while Mercury turned and faced him again.

Jedite started with several fireball blast shot from his hands. Mercury charged her hands with with icy energy, and shot all of them down, encasing them in a layer of ice. Jedite then charged at her and knocked to knock her over, but Mercury ducked and dodged behind him, then shot a blast of energy at his back. The blast hit, and turned into spread out, forming a thick sheet of ice that wrapped around his waist and arms, tying them all together! While he started his struggle, Mercury ran forward and kicked him in the back, forcing him to stumble head on into one of the stairs! Jedite wobbled backwards several steps, then burst free from the ice, whirled around, around threw another blast of energy at her!

Suddenly, a stream of fire flew in from behind and destroyed the blast, and then Sailor Mars came in and delivered a jump-kick to Jedite's face! The general went rolling to the side, while Mars landed right next to Mercury.

As soon as Jedite was on his feet again, the two began a simultaneous attack. Taking each other's hands, Mercury whirled Mars around, and she jumped off the ground and performed a stylish double-footed spinning kick to the face! As soon as Mars touched ground again, she in turn sun Mercury around, and then go once she was airborne. Once in the air, Mercury turned her body in a horizontal position, spun around times, stretched out her feet, and kicked Jedite in the chest with the heel of her boot! Mercury landed on the ground in a splits position, while Jedite was knocked backwards, landing on his back!

Mercury spun around and rose to her feet, while Jedite again got up.

Both Sailors came at him again with a series attacks that sent him further and further backwards. Mars started with a kick to the stomach, and Mercury continued with a kick to the face! Mars whirled around and delivered a roundhouse kick to the face, then Mercury made a kick to the stomach, then whirled around, jumped into the air, and delivered another kick to the face! Jedite flipped around and landed on his back again. By now, Jedite was standing right under the floating stairs where his throne used to be.

Finally, both Mars and Mercury started to form separate blast of their energy, as Jedite was just getting to his knees. Just then, they both shot their hands forward, and shot a bolt of ice energy and a stream of fire!

Jedite saw the attacks coming, then jumped off the floor, flew into the sky, and smashed through the top level of the stairs! Chunks of rock fell to the ground below, while Jedite floated high in the air. He then suddenly swooped around the floating platform stairway, dived downward, and struck Sailor Mars in the back! She hit her head as she fell forward, and lay unconscious on the floor. Jedite swooped around again to do the same to Sailor Mercury, but she ducked and rolled forward, completely avoiding the attack!

As the general rose into the sky again, Mercury, having gotten back up, built up her energy and threw a cloud of it at Jedite. The cloud swooshed towards him and finally made contact, surrounded his legs, and solidified into a massive block of ice that completely encased his feet! Jedite's flight stopped short almost immediately, and he struggled to keep himself afloat! But the weight of the ice block eventually took its effect, and Jedite went plummeting to the ground, smashing through some of the platform, and crash-landing on the ground! The ice shattered and broke away from his feet, but the force of the fall was a little more than Jedite had expected. While he struggled to get up, Mercury got ready for the next attack.

"Sorry to copy the cliche," she said, "but I think it's time I put you on ice!"

Suddenly, from out of nowhere, numerous drops of water splashed at Mercury's feet, and from the splashes, thick streams of icy energy started flowing upward and encircling her body, while she spun around and concentrated on her target. The energy then went high over her head, and Mercury faced forward and stood up straight. Just then, a bright beam of blue light shot up from below her feet, and an updraft of wind started to blow from underneath, sending her hair flailing over her head. The energy floating over her compacted into a tight ball of blue light, and it all then streamed down and flowed into the jewel of her tiara.

"Mercury… Ultimate… Blizzard…"

Her entire body suddenly gave off a bright blue aura of light, while all the jewels of her costume started glowing brightly. The light built up brighter in her hands than anywhere else. She finally put her hands together, curled them over her head, and threw them forward, pointing the energy in her body at Jedite!

"Freeze!"

First, then came a mighty blast of icy cold wind that blew at Jedite, blowing his hair and cape backwards. The temperature of the wind stung his body like a thousand needles on every square inch of his skin, and he desperately covered himself from it, while his body ached in extreme pain! As the wind continued blowing, more and more started to come forth.

Large masses of white snow flowing from Mercury's hands; snow that was even colder than the wind. Jedite's stamina started to drop, and his footing slipped just a little. Eventually, the snow turned into ice balls, that hit Jedite as different points on his body, forcing him back even more! Finally, the ice turned into giant chunks of hail that hit Jedite, and hit him hard! Jedite could hold on no longer. He lost his balance and started stumbling backwards, while each painful strike at his body weakened him more and more!

Then, in one final blast, a gigantic tidal wave of ice-cold water shot from Mercury's hand, completely engulfing Jedite's body, just as he stretched out his arms and legs and screamed in pain!

The water finally passed him, and revealed that Jedite was still there, but frozen in place, with his body in the same position, and his face showing the same horrified expression! At the same time, the area around him was covered in ice and snow, and a cold breeze still blew past the air, while Sailor Mercury stood watching in awe, huffing and puffing from the intensity of her new attack.

"Chill out, hell-demon!" she said.

The other Sailors had finally come to, and had been watching from behind while Mercury, as she so well put it, "put Jedite on ice". They walked up from behind and watched with wonder.

"All right, Mercury!" cheered Sailor Moon. "Way to stick it to him!"

"That's gotta be the coolest attack I've seen yet!" said Mars.

"It sure beats that stupid Solar Beam!" said Jupiter.

"Well excuse me," complained Venus, "but that weird Supreme Lightning thing of yours isn't exactly a sight to behold either!"

"Let's not celebrate too much, everyone," said Mercury. "He may be frozen, but he's still alive, and he's still dangerous!"

Just as she was saying this, the ice statue of Jedite began to vibrate violently. Several small cracks appeared in the surface of the ice that covered him, and from the cracks, small sheets of black light poured out from underneath. The shaking became more and more violent, and the Sailors finally noticed it, for they all shifted into fight-ready poses. Larger and large cracks appeared, and more light spewed out from them. Suddenly, the ground all around them started shaking like an earthquake, while the statue still shook more violently than ever!

Finally, in an explosion of light and crystallized ice, the statue blew apart, sending shards of ice and sparks of light flying everywhere! The Sailors covered their eyes from the flash, and looked again as it began to die down.

There, were Jedite's frozen body had stood before, was a giant burn mark on the ground, and all the ice that covered the floor before had melted or shattered.

Suddenly, a massive storm of thunder and lightning rang out from above, illuminating the sky and bursting their ears. They looks towards the top of the floating stairs and saw Jedite, freezing very heavily, chest heaving, teeth and hands clenched very tightly, and with several small, small pieces taken out of his costume, as well as a scratch along one of his shoulder guards.

And he was mad.

The Sailors took the first chance. They each formed some projectile-esque attack of their elemental powers, and threw them all at Jedite, all at once! Jedite rushed away as the attacks reached his position, completely blowing away the top platform! He silently swooped around the air, landed on the ground, rushed toward the Sailor Soldiers, and, in one massive stroke, knocked Sailor Mercury halfway across the rooftop! She sailed away screaming, until she landed and and hit her head. The rest looked and saw their comrade gone, then turned and found Jedite standing behind them!

Jupiter took the lead this time. She started with a punch to the face. Jedite turned his head to the side and dodged it. He then grabbed her arm and flipped her onto her back, then as she lay on the ground, knelt down and buried his fist in his stomach! Jupiter out a loud "Oof!", then lay near motionless, except for her breathing.

Venus went forward, but before she could even motion to make an attack, Jedite whirled around, delivered a kick to her face, and send her flying backward, almost over the edge of the rooftop!

Now it was Sailor Mars's turn. She rushed at Jedite, but before he could hit her, she switched positions and rushed behind him, where she planned to attack him in surprise. But it didn't help her much. Jedite kicked back his foot, landing it in her stomach! He whirled around and delivered a hit to the face, followed by another to the stomach! And when Mars was hunched over in pain, Jedite mercilessly drive his elbow into her back, flooring her!

Only Sailor Moon was left. All the others were beaten.

"So…" the general said, in a somewhat raspy voice, "what new attack have YOU for me, Sailor Moon? Some sort of 'crescent moon attack' of some sort, I would imagine? Anything's better than what your friends have all tried on me so far."

"You're right, Jedite," she said. "All my attacks are stronger than the other Sailors'. I am their leader, and I potentially have therefore the most power available to me. And in all my years of fighting scum like you, I know exactly how I have to use it. Which is why I'm not going to be so easy to defeat this time!"

All was silent for the next few seconds, then Jedite came at her with a punch! Sailor Moon dodged and returned with a punch of her own! Jedite dodged and took several more swings at her! She blocked all of them then whirled around and made a spinning kick to the face! Jedite ducked the kick, then took yet another punch! Sailor Moon ducked the punch, whirled around, and tried to sweep Jedite off his feet! Jedite jumped and flipped over the kick, then turned and kicked at her! He managed to hit her in the spine, sending her to the floor. She was immediately on her feet again, but then Jedite came at her with a punch! Sailor Moon stumbled backwards, then looked up and blocked his next attack! She blocked several others, then took a large, glowing punch at him! Jedite simply spun around and dodged to the side as she went past him! Jedite turned again and tried to strike at her, but she stopped in time, turned towards him, and held out her arm and blocked his attack just as it would hit her!

Then as the attack was diverted, Sailor Moon turned around completely, threw forth her fist and punched him hard in the stomach! She followed with an uppercut to the face, followed by another swipe across the face with her foot! She then kicked him in the stomach, and while he was hunched over in pain, whirled around, lifted her foot high off the ground, and drove her heel into his back, flooring him!

To end her attack, she ran in the opposite direction while Jedite was down, jumped into the air, rebounded off one of the floating platforms, and flew towards Jedite from the air! She extended her foot, preparing to finish the job with a powerful jump-kick!

Unfortunately for her, Jedite recovered in time to not only avoid the attack, but to completely counter it as well.

As Sailor Moon was about to make contact with the kick, Jedite got to her hands and knees and held up his arm, sending some sort of invisible power out from his hand. Suddenly, Sailor Moon stopped in mid-flight, being held in the air by the invisible force! At the same time, she felt as if her supply of air was suddenly and painfully cut off; and it was! The force Jedite had created had formed some sort of invisible noose around her neck, cutting off the air she breathed.

Jedite rose from the ground, while Sailor Moon's motionless body levitated in the air, and she struggled to breath. His eyes glowed evilly, and he suddenly let loose a punch to Sailor Moon's body! She flew backwards and landed on the opposite side of the roof, almost right next to Sailor Mercury, who still lay senseless on the floor!

Sailor Moon started struggling to remove the invisible bond around her neck, only being able to get enough slack to let in a little bit of air for her to breath. However, before she could remove it, Jedite had approached her, grabbed her by the neck, lifted her off the floor, and threw her to the ground again!

"Ten years, Sailor Moon," he growled. "Ten years… wasting away inside an impenetrable crystal shell… Ten years of solitude… Ten years of total darkness… Ten years… of waiting for the day when I would make you pay!"

He grabbed her again and knocked her across the roof, once again before she could remove the shackle.

"And such a day is now…" he said, "when I will have my final revenge on this worthless piece of rock! When I will destroy all who have ever opposed me! When I will take my rightful place as ruler of the entire universe… and it all starts with you, Sailor Moon. Your destruction will bring about my ultimate and unrivaled victory over all living things in all existence!"

Sailor Moon managed to get to her hands and knees, and could only watch as Jedite approached her again. He stood before her, and knelt down to the ground, then placed the tip of his index finger underneath her chin. Then, with one swift motion, he lifted her off the ground, letting her feet dangle three feet above the ground, while all the time she was still clutching her neck, trying break free of the noose.

"For that, Serena, I thank you," he said. "You've made me a very, very happy man…"

He then curled his arm backwards, and his armored fist started crackling with black electricity, and the hand started glowing an evil black light. He grinned like a madman, and his eyes started glowing as well, revealing his evil joy on the inside. He was ready to strike at her, to deliver the final blow and finish off his old nemesis forever. And with her still struggling just to breath, it was the perfect end.

Sailor Moon was helpless. She closed her eyes, and waited for the blow.


	10. Chapter 9: Annihilation Pt 2

**Chapter 9****  
**

**Annihilation Pt. 2**

But then IT came down out the sky.

Without any warning whatsoever, a small red streak of light came streaming down from up above! It shot between Sailor Moon and Jedite, forcing him to lose his grip on her, as well as the shackle around her neck! He stumbled backwards in surprise, while Sailor Moon fell onto her back. She got to her hands and knees, clutching her throat and coughing, meanwhile breathing in at last.

Both of them look to the space in between them, and saw what had just sent them apart from each other. Sailor Moon almost smiled in delight, while Jedite clenched his teeth in anger.

It was a rose. One single, solitary red rose, stuck stem-first into the pavement.

Jedite looked up towards the top platform, and as the lightning flashed in the sky, a lone shadow stood upon the stairs, looking down upon the fight below. His black cape flapped wildly in the wind, while he stood unmoving. And even when the lightning dissolved, the black figure still was visible against the dark sky.

"And next…" he said, "I'll make you a dead one."

Jedite glared with rage.

"It's about time you showed your face here," the general said. "I was starting to think this would all be just another random of destruction. And then you make your entrance, same as usual."

The figure still stood without motion.

"Of course, what else could I possibly expect from the great Tuxedo Mask?"

"No," said the figure. "Not Tuxedo Mask. But someone you can fear just as much."

The lightning illuminated the sky once again, and the figure could finally be seen. It was the man known as Tuxedo Mask, but still not the famed masked avenger of evil. He was dressed in black, with some decorative armor on his chest and shoulders, hardened boots that went three-fourths of the way up his legs, and a silver belt around his waist, complemented with a long broadsword locked inside a black leather scabbard.

"Darien…" Sailor Moon choked. "Thank God it's you…"

Jedite knew this was the one he thought he killed so long a time ago, but his attire confused him. Why was he dressed like this? He looked like… a prince.

"Surprised, Jedite?" he asked. "Not used to seeing me without the tuxedo?"

Jedite narrowed his gaze on the newcomer.

"Who are you?" the general demanded.

"I am Prince Darien," he said. "Royal heir to the kingdom of Earth, and fellow protector of its citizens, which includes the five lovely ladies whom you've so dishonorably beaten upon."

"Prince…" Jedite asked, "Darien…?" He finally understood what had been plaguing his mind for so long. "Yes… yes, yes! I understand it now! I've finally realized the connection between you and other personae, Tuxedo Mask and that Moonlight Knight character… the Knight was not a second incarnation of Tuxedo Mask…" He pointed an accusing finger at the Prince. "He was the third incarnation of you! Prince Darien! All different men, all with the same purpose in life… I should have seen it before!"

"But your evil had blind-sighted you, Jedite," the Prince taunted. "All your power, and all your destruction can't save your mind… Your sanity is wearing thin with every second, and it's making you weaker with every bow to your body!"

"He isn't too far off," once of the voice said inside Jedite's mind.

Jedite growled angrily, yelled out like a mad bull, and threw a large fireball into the sky, aimed straight at Darien! However, the prince raised his arm and slashed at the air in front of him, just as the fireball reached him! In a bright burst of light, the fireball dissipated, and a red flashing light replaced it. Jedite momentarily covered his eyes from the flash, then looked up to see what it was.

Darien finally revealed one last article of his costume that was not seen before; on his right forearm, there was attached a large silver glove, one that turned his arm into an armored battering ram, and his fingers into sharp claws! Embedded in the face of the metal was a red earth stone of some sort, that glowed with the red light that had been seen just now; and the stone itself was surrounded by an engraving of the symbol of the planet Earth.

"As you can see, Jedite," Darien said, slowly stepping downward, "I've come prepared for you, just like my friends the Sailors. Say hello to my newest ally… the Earth Gauntlet!"

"The Earth Gauntlet?" Sailor Moon wondered.

"No!" Jedite yelled. "That's impossible! You can't have that!"

"You think so?"

"I know so!" he continued. "When the NegaVerse first invaded the earth in the Silver Millennium, we stormed your father the King's palace, and I personally saw too it that that gauntlet was destroyed!"

"Well, Jedite, it obviously wasn't!" Darien replied. "After your 'attack' on the King's palace, the Gauntlet was salvaged, and my father gave it to Queen Serenity, and she took it back with her to the Moon Kingdom, where she put it in safe keeping for just such an emergency… that is, you."

Sailor Moon had finally gotten the strength to get back up, and she stared up in wonder at her lover.

"That's why I had to leave before, Serena," he explained. "After Jedite destroyed the city, I received a visit from Serenity, and she gave me this Gauntlet. I would have told you before, but Serenity swore me to secrecy. I had to go away so that I could learn to use it properly. And once I knew how to use it, then I could come back and finish what he and I started ten years ago!"

"I hate to break up this nauseating reunion…" the general said, annoyed. "but I would prefer I at least kill somebody today!"

On that note, Darien grabbed the handle of his sword, drew it from it scabbard, and pointed the tip of it right at Jedite's head.

"I've been waiting for this just as long as you have, General," the prince said. "So what do you say we have ourselves a good old-fashioned fight to the finish… for old time's sake?"

Lightning again flashed in the background, and the light of it reflected brightly off the blade of his weapon. Jedite glared at him, then raised his arm, and magically formed the exact same sword as the one used to slaughter the Moonlight Knight.

"I made the mistake of thinking you dead before," he said. "A mistake I do not plan to replicate."

Suddenly, the entire rooftop started shaking violently. While Sailor Moon and Prince Darien struggled to keep their balance, Jedite was hardly moved at all. Meanwhile, cracks in the surface of the floor started to appear, and large chunks of it started popping out of place!

Then, large stone pillars started elevating from below the floor, rising to maximum heights of twenty feet! They even went through the floating stairs, though many of the platforms stayed where they were. The shaking became more and more violent, and the pillars started growing next to one another, sometimes in groups of four, eight, or twelve, forming levels of flooring above the surface of the rooftop! From out of the swirling portal above, another large cloud of dust swarmed forth, parted in several different directions, and placed itself between the heightened floors. The dust clouds solidified, each forming a bridge between at least two of the many new platforms.

When it was all over, the ground stopped shaking, and the place was even more of a mess than before.

"Now we have proper battleground," said Jedite. "And now, Prince Darien… now we may finish what we started.

Darien got his balance after the shaking stopped, and as the general sent forth his challenge, he shifted his body into a fighting stance, with the tip of his sword pointed at Jedite. The general as well pointed his sword at Darien, and all was silent for the next few moments.

Sailor Moon was too weak at the moment to even think of helping right now… besides, she knew how Darien could handle himself in situations like this.

Suddenly, with a massive yell, Jedite lunged forward and raced up at the stairs, headed straight for the prince! One where, he jumped at made a forward, meanwhile clashing his sword with Darien's as the prince dodged to the side. Jedite landed and turned around to face Darien again. Both swords were out and ready for battle, as were their owners.

"I enjoyed the Moonlight's Knight's death a lot more than I imagined…" Jedite taunted. "I can only wonder what joy it will bring me when YOU are finally and forever gone."

"Me too."

With that, the swords clashed once again. The two went back and forth, clashing together their bladed weapons, moving so fast that it was hard to tell who was attacking who. If anything, the tension of this fight was ten times more intense that that of the previous blade battle in the dream world. Darien slashed twice. Blocked. Jedite slashed three times. Blocked. Darien made three slashes at Jedite's body, then whirled around and took a slice at his head! Jedite blocked the attack, then ducked the slice, then made another slash. Blocked. He made at least five more attacks to the body, then started violently swinging his sword around! He twirled it in a figure-8 motion, while Darien simply dodged to either side as the blade came at him! Jedite made a slice at Darien's head, then as he ducked it, twirled around and made a downward chop! Darien backed away, and the blade of Jedite's sword got lodged in the pavement!

Darien jumped and flipped over Jedite's head while he struggled with his sword, then whirled around to make an attack. Jedite finally freed his sword in time to turn and block, then made two more slashes. Blocked. Darien made another slash. Blocked. Jedite made two more attacks. Darien blocked both, and with the second block knocked the sword away from him, then whirled around and slashed the blade of his sword at Jedite's head again!

The general's head suddenly jerked to the side as he felt something run across the side of his face!

Things were still for a while. Darien stood with his sword lifted, holding it up just as his attack. Jedite slowly raised his hand and ran his fingers across the right side of his face. He felt a strange stinging sensation when he did. He then lowered his hand and looked at his fingers. the tips of his armored gloves were coated in a thick, green liquid.

It was blood. His blood.

Darien drew back his sword and looked at the very tip of it, and noticed a small green stain on the very tip of the blade. Darien had just made a cut across the right side of Jedite's face!

"Never…" he hissed, "Never… in over five thousand years… has any man shed my blood like this… Never…"

"Get used to it," Darien replied. "You're going to see a lot of it in the next few minutes."

With a mad growl, Jedite raised his sword and continued slashing, but with an enraged strength that made the attacks come faster than ever. But Prince Darien blocked each and every one, making a few of his own along the way, but all blocked. Jedite started forcing Darien back further and further down the stairs, each attack becoming stronger than before! Finally, Jedite took a mighty downward swing, trying to slice Darien down the middle! Darien jumped backwards and flipped through the air, while Jedite's blade slammed into the pavement and destroyed the rest of the stairs with a explosion of rock debris! Darien landed on the surface of the roof, near where Sailor Moon was standing.

"Darien…" she weakly said, trying to walk over to him.

She was almost next to him, when she suddenly stumbled and fell. Darien resheathed his sword, turned, and grabbed her before she hit the ground. He helped her to her feet, knelt down to the ground, and looked her in the eyes, while she turned and looked at him.

"Be careful, Darien…" she said. "Remember what happen to the Knight…"

"Don't worry about it, Serena," he said. "I'll handle this."

He kissed on the forehead, then rose to his feet, letting her rest on the ground. He then turned and walked forward to the area where the stairway used to be, and stared up at Jedite, who stood on the edge of one of the floating platforms, breathing heavily. The general turned and stepped off the edge, landing on the ground, then turned back towards Darien, who came towards him until he was at a distance of five feet.

After another brief moment of peace, Jedite came forward again with another series of slashes. Blocked. Darien slashed twice. Blocked. Jedite slashed three times, then took a horizontal swing at Darien's belly. Darien blocked the slashes, and backed away as Jedite's blade went past his stomach.

Darien came at Jedite with several overhead chops, all of which Jedite blocked. He then followed these with several more slashes. Blocked. He whirled around and slashed at Jedite's midsection. He continued turning and made another slash. Blocked. He finally turned in the opposite direction and slice to slice at Jedite's legs. Jedite jumped over the blade, flipped backwards several times, and flew some twenty feet away, landing on top of the one of the higher levels of the roof! Darien ran and jumped onto the remaining part of the floating stairs, ran up to the top, then jumped off and flew towards Jedite, making a somersault in mid-air, and landing on the same level as Jedite!

The sword fight up above ensued as the two rivals made and diverted their attacks.

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~**

Sailor Moon crawled over to where Sailor Mercury lay on the ground.

"Hey… Mercury, wake up!" she said, shaking her friends shoulder to try and revive her, but nothing was happening.

She finally resorted to a last, untried measure that she'd been cooking up for some time. She place her hands over Sailor Mercury's chest, and she concentrated her energy, focusing it on Mercury's body. Suddenly, a small orb of pink glowing light emerged from the palms of her hands. It floated downward and was absorbed into Mercury's heart. Her entire body momentarily glowed with a bright pink aura, which soon turned an icy blue as Mercury finally began to come to.

She moaned in pain as the aura dissolved, and she sat up, rubbing her sore head. She turned toward Sailor Moon, and revealed a small gash on her left temple. It didn't look serious, but it still looked like it hurt.

"Amy…" she said. "Are you all right?"

"Give me one more shot at that demonic creep, and I'll be fine," Mercury replied. "What's going on?"

"Darien's here; he's holding off Jedite for a while," Sailor Moon explained.

Mercury looked behind her leader, and saw Jedite and Prince Darien duking it out in the distance.

"So I see…"

"Come on," said Sailor Moon. "We've got to help the others heal. If Darien can keep Jedite at bay for long enough, we'll all be back up to full health, but only once Mars, Jupiter, and Venus are awake again."

Mercury nodded, and they both discreetly made their way towards the unconscious Sailor Mars.

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~**

Jedite was starting to get the upper hand. He knocked Darien backwards with several powerful slashes, until he was almost about to fall off the edge of the floor beneath him. Darien kept his ground for as long as he could, while Jedite continually slashed at his body! Darien blocked each one, until he made a horizontal block, then Jedite switched his sword's position and knocked Darien's sword out of his hands and high into the air! In a frenzy, Jedite thrust his sword forward and tried to stab the prince, but as soon as he saw it coming, Darien performed a backflip, kicked Jedite in the face with both feet, flew off the platform, and landed on the level below! The prince then looked into the air, caught his sword as it came falling downward!

Jedite jumped and flipped off the platform, landing in front of Darien. The fight then continued.

"You're a thorn I've been trying to get out of my side for too long!" the general snarled. "It's high time you were plucked out!"

"I think it's high time you shut up and fight!"

Darien slashed several times. Blocked. Jedite returned with two of his own. Blocked. Darien slashed twice. Blocked and ducked. Jedite slashed three times, then placed a kick to the chest. Darien blocked the attacks, but the kick sent him stumbling into a wall behind him. Jedite came running at him with a horizontal slice, but Darien rolled out of the way, just as the blade cut its way through, making a large gash in the wall! Jedite turned and faced the prince again, then slashed his weapon several more times. Blocked. Darien then returned with a diagonal cut at Jedite's body, but the general dodged as the blade came it him, and was lodged into the ground! While Darien struggled with his sword, Jedite faced him again and tried to cut him down the middle with an overhead chop! Darien simply raised his right arm in defense, and the blade of Jedite's sword struck the face of the Earth Gauntlet!

Jedite was frozen in place for a moment, and a strange red energy poured forth from the glove and circulated through the general's body. Then, in a burst of red light, Jedite was literally thrown backwards, sent flying through the air, and landed hard against another wall! While he was getting up, Darien held the face of the gauntlet next to his face, and a ball of red energy started building in the palm of his hand. When it was large enough, Darien swung his arm outward, sending the ball straight at Jedite's head! When Jedite saw it coming, he ducked just in time, and the ball exploded in a burst of light against the face of the wall! When the light dimmed away, five red roses were revealed, stuck stem-first into the wall, right where Jedite's head was a moment before!

While Jedite again tried to get up, Darien finally freed his sword from the ground, and came rushing at Jedite, thrusting the blade forward! Jedite again saw the attack coming, and he jerked his head to the side, just as the blade was stabbed into the wall an inch from his right ear! Jedite thrust out his foot and kicked Darien in the stomach, sending him back some ten feet and separating him from his weapon. Jedite then got up, grabbed the sword from the wall, spun around, and hurled the sword through the air, aiming it at Darien!

But as it came at him, Darien simply outstretched his right arm and caught the flying sword by its handle, stopping it before it could even touch him. He then pointed the tip at Jedite, ready to fight again.

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~**

Sailors Moon and Mercury awoke all of the other Sailor Soldiers, and they once again grouped together.

"So what now, fearless leader?" asked Mars. "Do we fight Jedite again or what?"

"Not yet," Sailor Moon replied. "All we can do for now is keep out of sight, and let Darien do what he can from his end. If Jedite sees us, he'll use us all as bargaining chips against Darien, and in our weakened conditions, we won't even have a chance to fight back. So until we all know for sure that our powers are back where they should be, we law low and watch the 'festivities'."

"But if Darien needs us before we're fully recharged?" Jupiter asked.

"Should that happen, we'll do what we can," she said. "It'll all depend on how good our bodies and powers are doing. Now then, any broken bones or anything?"

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~**

The two fighters were equally matched in almost every way. No blade even came close to touching the other's body, except for the scratch on Jedite's face. With every clash of metal, every blocked attack, there came a small flash of light. The fighters' bodies were becoming more and powerful with each attack, and the battle became more and more fierce.

Eventually, two two warriors found themselves on top of the highest platform, one made up of eight of the stone pillars. The two went back and forth, back and forth, and each hit made Jedite more and more enraged.

He slashed at Darien twice. Blocked. Darien slashed once. Blocked. Jedite slashed five times, then whirled around and took a swipe at Darien's head. Darien ducked the attack, then thrust his blade at Jedite's midsection. He escaped the blade, but it just caught the side of his uniform, making a long hole in the fabric. Jedite examined the hole in his suit, then turned and took another slash at Darien. Blocked. Darien returned. Blocked. Jedite took two more slashes, then made another mighty swing. Darien blocked the attacks, then dodged the swing and whirled past Jedite. At the same time, he whipped out his sword, and slashed Jedite twice; once across the midsection, and again along his right thigh!

Jedite screamed in pain and stumbled forward, while Darien stood behind him, marveling at his progress. Jedite dropped his knees from the pain, and sat quivering in place.

Darien motioned to make the final blow, but before he could finish the attack, Jedite raised his sword and blocked Darien's blade, then rose and turned to him again, still shaking from the new cuts in his body.

"How does that feel, Jedite?" the Prince asked. "To know exactly what you did to the Moonlight Knight that day? To know the kind of pain he felt, and the kind you're going to feel soon enough? Sort of ironic, isn't it?… A part of me died that day in the DreamScape… and now the rest of me with avenge it now."

"You… know nothing of pain yet… your Highness!" Jedite hissed.

Jedite raised his sword and made several more attacks. Darien blocked all of them, dodged to the side, and made another cut across the left side of his midsection! The general again moaned in pain, and stumbled around the platform, while his costume was starting to get stained from his newly-shed blood.

Meanwhile, the Sailors watched in cheer as Darien was making some real progress in the battle. This was the first damage actually done to Jedite's body since the battles within the DreamScape, and the sight of it was strangely satisfying. And all the while, their powers recharged, so when they were ready, they would deliver the final blow.

Jedite still continued the fight as it was being fought before. Darien made no more cuts to the general's body, but the fight still was starting to look like it was going to be in Prince Darien's favor. It would very well be a climactic end for the evil one. But if only it were that simple.

Darien came at Jedite with a series of slashes, and Jedite blocked each and every one, while being knocked backward further and further. Finally, when Jedite was on the very edge of the platform, Darien made several more attacks, then whirled around, made an upward vertical slash, and knocked Jedite's sword out his hand, sending it flying across the rooftop and over the edge! Jedite was unarmed! But as soon as his weapon was lost, Jedite retaliated. He whirled around and kicked out his foot, hitting Darien right in the chest! Darien went flying backwards, hitting the pillar behind him, and losing his grip on his weapon!

The prince fell to the floor and started searching for his weapon, and saw it on the very edge of the rooftop, teetering back and forth. Suddenly, a blast of black energy shot in from out of nowhere, and knocked the sword off the roof. Darien turned and saw Jedite standing before him with his arm outstretched, revealing he was shot the blast. He lowered his arm and narrowed his gaze.

"It seems we are both still at an impasse," the general said. "What ever shall we do now?"

Darien slowly rose to his feet, then quickly grabbed his cape, ripped it from his back, tossed it to the side, and shifted his body into a martial arts stance. Jedite simply glared.

"You CAN'T be serious."

"I've trained myself in these deadly my whole life, Jedite," Darien replied. "You think YOU have a chance against me?"

With a low-pitched growl, Jedite grabbed the chain around his neck, and snapped it like a twig. His black cape started to fall to the floor, but Jedite grabbed it and as well threw it to the side, then stood with his arm still outstretched.

Lightning flashed in the background, and thunder came soon afterward, heightening the tension of the situation. Two warriors about face each other what would be an intense hand-to-hand combat fight to the finish, while the five lady warriors watched from the sidelines, in awe of all that had happened so far.

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~**

"Hey…" said Venus. "I think my powers are back!"

"Mine too!" said Jupiter.

"I wouldn't be surprised," Sailor Moon replied.

"So what are we waiting for over here?" asked Mars, motioning to step into the fight. "Let's go help your knight in shining armor kick Jedite's butt!"

But Sailor Moon blocked her with an outstretched arm.

"No," she ordered. "We stay back here for now. This is Darien's fight, not ours. If he needs us, then we will step in. No sooner. Got it?"

Mars stepped back. Something about her friend's tone didn't make her want to argue.

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~**

Both fighters made a move. Jedite rushed forward and made a punch, and Darien at the same time made the same maneuver. Both rushed right past each other, while a brilliant flash of light was made as they attacks made contact! The two stopped after they went by, and a cloud of dust was kicked up at their feet. As soon as they stopped, they both whirled around and attacked again, and both attacks clashed again with another burst of light! The two fighters were locked in place as they blocked each other's attacks; Jedite had grabbed onto the Earth Gauntlet as Darien made a punch, and Darien grabbed onto Jedite's right fist as he made the same move. From both points of impact, small sparks of energy shot forth, as the two powers clashed together.

Finally, with another flash of light, the two fighters separated, and the fight began. Instantly they were locked in a fast-paced martial arts battle that raged across the entire rooftop! They were going so fast, in fact, that when one move had been made in one place, the next move was made at least ten feet away!

And all the Sailors could do was watch.

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~**

"I don't think I could get in on that even if I wanted to!" said Jupiter.

"Who just threw that punch?" asked Venus.

"It looked like both Jedite and Darien!" said Mercury.

"Well it had to be one of them!" said Mars. "So who was it?"

"Oh, great, now I've lost track of the fight!" Venus complained.

Sailor Moon was the only one in the group who could tell what was going on in the fight, and her eyes never left Darien's position. She kept watching him, despite what happened. She smiled when he landed a hit on Jedite, and winced as Jedite did the same on him.

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~**

Each time they rushed past one another, their attacks clashed and a flash of light erupted from the impact! As they continued the battle, bits and pieces of Jedite's "domain" were chipped, smashed, and altogether destroyed!

Eventually, the entire rooftop arena, except for several of the floating platforms and stone pillars, were turned to a ten-foot hill of rubble! And still the Sailors watched from down below in anticipation of what would happen niuext!

Finally, in one large flash of brilliant light! Both fighters were thrown backwards from each other, landed on their feet on opposite ends of the rooftop, still facing each other!

It was then that the real fireworks began. Jedite brought his hands to his side, and inside them, a large ball of black energy started to build up, and streaks of dark electricity flowed through his body and into his arms. At the same time, Darien crossed his arm in front of him again, and started building up a ball of red energy, that bubbled and boiled with power. The entire rooftop was illuminated with their energy; one side with black light, the other side in red. The attacks became larger and more powerful, and they both got ready to launch them.

Finally, Jedite threw his hands forward and threw the ball of energy straight at Darien! Meanwhile, Darien swung his arm out and released his energy as well!

When the two projectiles met, there was a fiery burst of white light that even lit up the sky above the rooftop. The Sailors covered their eyes from it, then watched to see what happened afterward. When the light dissolved, it was revealed that two the attacks didn't cancel each other out as one would expect… in fact, quite the opposite. They passed right through one another!

Darien took the black fireball right to the chest, and was knocked backwards, right into one of the remaining stone pillars! Meanwhile, the red energy ball kept coming at Jedite, and finally exploded when it hit his hands!

While Darien slowly got up from taking the fireball, he could hear Jedite's scream of pain. Jedite examined his right arm, and saw one long-stemmed rose stuck stem-first through the metal of his armguard, and through the palm of his hand! Jedite ripped the flower from his skin, winced at the pain, and watched as several small streams of green blood oozed out and dribbled to the floor.

But what was even more astounding was that Darien hardly seemed affected at all. It was as if Jedite's attack had lost its power in the clash. Or was it just as ineffective to begin with?

"Nice little push you gave me, General," said Darien. "What did you think of mine?"

Jedite simply stood hunched over, clutching his bleeding hand, growling with insanity. He finally rose to his full height, as more lightning flashed in the background, showing off his inner madness.

"This ends!" he screamed. "I don't care how I do it, but I will kill you yet! Even if I go with you!"

On that thought, Jedite charged full-speed at Darien, grabbed him by the neck, and tried to strangle him as they both flew off the rooftop!

Sailor Moon gasped.

It was like watching it all happen in slow motion. First, the look on Darien's face as he saw Jedite come at him, then the look when Jedite's hand wrapped around his neck, then as they both smashed through the stone pillar, and finally, most horrifying of all, when they kept flying across the roof and then off the edge of it.

She couldn't stay put any longer. She ran towards the edge of the roof where they disappeared, the other Sailors right next to her. However, before they reached the edge, an explosion rang out from below, and a bright blast of blinding light exploded from the darkness underneath the building! The brightness of the light forced them to shield their eyes, and the force of the explosion knocked them all of their feet momentarily.

Sailor Moon quickly got back onto her feet and rushed over to the edge of the roof. She was soon followed by the others. Together, they looked over the edge, hoping to see some sign of what had happened.

Silence and darkness. Nothing more.

"Darien?" Sailor Moon desperately called out. "Darien?"

Still nothing but her echo.

"Darien?!"

Still nothing.

"Darien!"

Nothing.

Sailor Moon was silent. Could Darien be…? But… he couldn't be… could he?

Suddenly, the sight of something metallic caught her eye up in the air above; sort of a twinkle of light, as if reflected off of whatever it was. Sailor Moon turned her head up and tried to get a closer look at it, but could only watch as the object fell down from the sky, down towards her.

Finally, it landed at her feet, and its pieces scattered across the floor; however, it seemed that was its condition before it even landed. A golden object, shaped into a five-pointed star, with a clock mechanism on the inside of it. The face of the clock was broken, and there were numerous scorch marks on the gold surface.

Sailor Moon said nothing. She knelt down and picked it up, as the tears started trailing down her face.

It was the star locket.

Some of the other Sailors gasped. It was the same locket that Serena and Darien had given each other several times in the past; to Darien back in the Moon Kingdom, to Serena some ten years ago, and just now, in the last several hours, to Darien as he left to start his training in preparation for the battle with Jedite.

It was the one thing that the two of them cherished most in their love for each other. But now, it was the one thing they had that proved he was… he was…

"Darien…" Sailor Moon sobbed. "Darien… no… no…"

She hunched over in sadness as she cried, and fell to her knees. Meanwhile, Sailor Mercury stepped up behind her and tried to comfort her. But before she could even place a hand on her shoulder, Sailor Moon threw her head back and her arms out, and screamed out into the night:

"Noooooooooooooooo!"

"Yes!"

Everyone turned around towards the center of the roof. Sailor Moon slowly got back onto her feet and went to the head of the group.

Floating some twenty feet above the roof was none other than Jedite, his body looking more battered than ever, but still looking quite combat-efficient. His hands were clenched into tight fists of triumph, his eyes glowed with his delight, and his mouth was cracked in a grin so evil that it left all others behind.

"After so many years," he said, "I have finally defeated one of my enemies! All these years of plotting my revenge, and for once I actually get somewhere with it! At long last, the great Tuxedo Mask…"

Sailor Moon's tears came even more, for she didn't want to hear the last part.

"is dead!"

The tears, to her surprise, stopped. Instead of extreme sadness for the apparent loss of her one true love, she felt anger; hatred; rage for the man who was responsible for it. Her teeth clenched, as did her fists, and she dropped the locket onto the ground. She raised her fist in front of her face, and it started pulsating with a magnificent glowing energy.

"Don't take it personally, Sailor Moon," Jedite cackled, as he still looked over the edge of the roof. "I can't help but feel a little sorry that he's gone… no more of him throwing the roses, no more saving the day at the last second, no more of those stupid 'good always wins' speeches… Oh, wait a minute; I'm supposed to be glad that's all over with!"

He then started laughing hysterically, while Sailor Moon's rage continued to build up, as did her inner power. The other Sailor Soldiers could feel it as well; their own powers magnifying beyond imagination. The loss of Prince Darien was too much to bear. Jedite had taken so much already; their home, their friends and family, and now, their most trusted ally.

They knew this is where it must end.

Sailor Moon took one step forward, followed by another, and another, and another. Her steps came quicker and quicker, as she made her way towards Jedite in the middle of the roof, who still laughed his head off. Finally, Sailor Moon was into a jog, then into a running pace, then she was coming at Jedite so fast that nothing was nothing to stop her.

Finally, Jedite stopped laughing long enough to turn in Sailor Moon's direction, and his eyes widened as he saw her charging in his direction.

Then, as soon as he saw her, his head was jerked to the side as Sailor Moon sideswiped him, and slashed her fist across his face! A trail of pink energy streamed off her arm and from the impact of the punch, increasing the attacks power! Jedite stumbled backwards and around in circles, while Sailor Moon continued on past him until she stopped and turned towards him again.

As Jedite turned towards her to retaliate, he was immediately stopped as Sailor Moon attacked again and again! She started with two swipes across his face, followed by two more blows to his stomach, an uppercut, a backhanded smash to his face, and finally, a whirlwind kick that sent him flying backwards! He landed on his back and rolled over onto his stomach, while Sailor Moon casually stood where she was, her body glowing with a bright pink aura. As the general slowly got back up, she came at him again with another rushing punch.

Jedite saw her coming and managed to dodge out of the way just in time, and launched an attack of his own from behind her back. However, Sailor Moon blocked the attack without even seeing it, whirled around, and socked Jedite right in the face again! He stumbled backwards from the blow, then shook it off again attacked again. Sailor Moon again diverted the attack and hit him several more times! He backed off from the force of the attacks, but once again shook it off.

He charged at her again, but when he started, Sailor Moon kneeled to the floor as Sailor Mercury came running up from behind! She climbed over Sailor Moon's back, jumped off her body, and flung her body forward while Jedite still came at her! She delivered a powerful jump-kick to his face, charged with a burst of her icy energy! Jedite took a faceful of frostbite and stumbled backwards once again, while Mercury landed in front of Sailor Moon.

Jedite growled with madness at the constant attacks to his body. He motioned to charge at both of them again, but before he even moved, Sailors Mars, Jupiter and Venus charged in from in between them!

Mars started the onslaught with a flaming punch to the general's face! Jupiter followed with several quick electrified blows to his body, followed by a knee to the face! And finally, Venus came in and delivered a glowing spinning kick to the chest, then as he stumbled backwards, rushed forward and rammed him with her shoulder! The impact created a large flash of yellow light, and sent Jedite flying backwards! He landed on his back, but immediately rolled backwards and jumped back onto his feet.

But before he could attack again, Sailor Moon greeted him with a spinning kick to the face! Jedite stumbled backwards and spun around, and as soon as he faced forward again, the cycle of attacks continued. Sailor Mercury smashed him in the face with an icy punch! Mars followed with a fire kick to his stomach, forcing him to hunch over in pain! Jupiter then delivered a electric kick to his face while he was down, forcing him backwards and around again. Then, Sailor Venus faced him and kick him in the chest, sending him falling onto his back! While he was grounded, Sailor Moon jumped high into the air and attempted to stomp on him. But Jedite rolled out of the way as she smashed feet-first into the ground!

Jedite backed away from the Sailors as they regrouped, and stood hunched over, clutching his chest, huffing and puffing in pain. He held out his other hand as if to hold them off.

Suddenly, he stood up and outstretched his arms and legs, yelled out angrily, and charged clumsily at all five of them! However, he was stopped as soon as Sailor Moon stepped forward and drove her fist into his face! She punched him several more times, then kicked him in the chest, sending him backwards. Mercury made her way behind Jedite, and as he stumbled, kicked him in the back! As he fell forward, Mars punched to the face, then kicked to the stomach, to the chest, and to face the face! Jupiter followed with a jump-kick to the chest! Jedite went back again, and Venus got behind him, kneeled to the ground, and buried her fist in the middle of his back, in a place so sensitive that it froze the general in place! Sailor Moon stepped in and stood with her back to Jedite, then whipped back her arm and smashed the back of her hand into his face without even looking!

Jedite stumbled backwards and fell to his knees. Meanwhile, the Sailors regrouped, except for Sailor Moon, who stood tall, facing Jedite, who shivered on the ground from the intense pain his body was going through.

Lightning crashed behind Sailor Moon's body, and the shadow covering her during the flash gave her an almost frightening look in the eyes of the weakened Jedite. He looked up with clenched teeth and a foul expression, while Sailor Moon simply stood before him, silently beckoning him to come forth for more.

"Do you yield?" she calmly asked.

"N-n-never…" he replied in a weak, raspy voice. "I… n-never… s-s-s-surrender… Es-s-s-specially to some… p-p-punk… in a s-sailor s-s-suit… I… am the v-very essence… of evil… and I w-won't let… m-myself be def-f-feated so… easily…

"You're already defeated, Jedite," Sailor Moon said. "Your body is battered, and your powers are now nothing compared to mine, or the other Sailor Soldiers." She walked forward and stood right in front of the general, then kneeled down and looked him right in the face. "I should kill you myself for all you've done… but that would make me no better than you are. But your crimes cannot and will not go unpunished. So I give you this choice, General. Surrender to us now, and we will let you live. But you must bury yourself in the deepest, darkest corner of the universe, and keep yourself there for the rest of your pathetic life."

Both Jedite and the other Sailors were astounded at her generosity.

"This is my first and only offer, Jedite," she finished. "I suggest you take it and leave this place forever."

Jedite didn't even need to consider her "offer". He only started breathing even more heavily than before, and his eyes gave off several slashes of black light, and he then rose to his feet while Sailor Moon backed away, then he yelled out in one massive, long, loud, echoing voice:

"Never!"

He raised his hands into the air, and a streak of black lightning shot from the sky and hit his hands, and in the burst of light, another sword was formed in his grip. Once it fully materialized, he ran towards Sailor Moon and started swinging the blade around wildly! Sailor Moon simply dodged to the side as the blade came towards her, ducked when it came at her head, and jumped into the air when he sliced at her feet. He finally tried to make an overhead chop, but Sailor Moon grabbed his hands and stopped the blade, and kneed him in the stomach! Jedite stumbled backwards with the sword still in hand. Sailor Moon kicked at his hand, and the sword went flying into the air. She then kicked him in the stomach, sending him backwards again, then caught the sword as it fell from the sky. Finally, she grabbed Jedite while he stumbled and pulled him forward, and at the same time, thrust the blade of the sword through his stomach!

Sailor Moon backed away and watched as Jedite's eyes were wide as saucers, and his body was frozen from the pain! From the wound in his stomach, massive streams of black energy started flowing from his body, and he screamed out into the night! As the energy left his body, the sword dissolved, leaving only the wound and Jedite's battered body!

Then came time to end it. And this time, the other four Sailors led the attack.

Sailor Venus started first. She delivered a glowing punch to Jedite in the face, then spun around and did it several more times with both arms outstretched!

Sailor Jupiter followed. She ran up to Jedite, started spinning around, and extended her leg, kicking Jedite in the face multiple times, with each impact creating a spark of electricity!

Next up was Sailor Mars. She ran and jumped past Jedite, twirled around once, and delivered a flaming kick to the face!

Sailor Mercury took the charge, and as soon as she near Jedite, she jumped forward, balanced herself on her hands, outstretched her legs, and spun herself around, and kicked Jedite in the chest again and again, each kick charged with ice energy!

Finally, it was Sailor Moon's turn. When all the others finished their attacks, and Jedite stood alone in front of them, she charged toward him, jumped forward, landed right in front of him, kneeled tot he floor, then launched her entire body into the sky, with her fist stretched upward, striking Jedite in the face on the way up! Jedite stumbled backwards while Sailor Moon flew through the air!

Meanwhile, the other four Sailors began the simultaneous final assault. Each of them put their hands together, and started building up large spheres of their elemental energy. Sailor Mercury created a ball of ice, Mars a ball of lame, Jupiter a sphere of pure electricity, and Venus a ball of brilliant light. And on the way down, Sailor Moon put her hands together and created a ball of glowing pink energy, the most powerful of all of them.

She finally landed in the middle of the group, and all five of them continued building up their energy, until the entire rooftop was illuminated in a rainbow of brilliant colors.

Jedite had finally regained his balance, and could do nothing to stop what was to come next.

"Ready…" Sailor Moon commanded. "Now!"

All five of them forced their hands forward, throwing all five balls of energy at Jedite! In mid-flight, they swirled around one another, and melted into each other, forming one single, massive ball of glowing white energy that flew towards Jedite like a flaming bird of light!

The energy finally reached Jedite, and he was engulfed in it as he screamed out into the night!

Suddenly, a bright blast of light exploded from the impact, and the Sailors covered their eyes from it. The blast lit up the entire rooftop, along with the sky over the entire city.

When the light dissolved, the Sailor Soldiers looked to where Jedite was a moment ago, and no longer saw Jedite standing there; instead, there stood a full-sized statue of the general, carved out of solid rock, the arms, legs, body, and face modeled in the exact position Jedite was in as the energy swallowed him. Then, the statue turned to dust, dissolving from the feet up, forming a pile of ash in the middle of the rooftop. Several sparks of black electricity flowed through it at first, but they soon went away. Afterwards… silence.

Jedite was dead.

Really dead.

The Sailors them jumped for joy. Sailor Venus ran into Jupiter's arm, and they both exchanged a hug. Meanwhile, Mars and Mercury jumped up and down, cheering wildly.

But the celebrations quickly ended when they realized Sailor Moon was not celebrating with them.

They turned to the edge of the roof, where they saw Sailor Moon standing, looking out over the edge, her head tilted downward, her eyes closed, and her hands holding the broken star locket. Even from so far away, they could all see the tears flowing down her face.

Sailor Mars and the others walked over to her, and stood behind her. Mars put a hand on Sailor Moon's shoulder, trying to comfort her.

"I'm sorry, Serena," she said. "I really am."

"I know," Sailor Moon replied. "I know… so am I… but… but it's all right…"

"No…" said Mars. "No, it's not all right! Someone you love is gone now. Nothing can be worse than that. I know I've called you a worthless crybaby in the past, Serena, but for once, I don't blame you if you just let it out. You have every right to. Don't let me, or anyone else stop you."

"These things happen," Moon said, desperately trying to hold back her tears. "I mean, wars have casualties, people get injured or killed… and… and Darien was just one of them… so was the Moonlight Knight… There's really no sense in crying about it…"

Despite this surprising reply, Mars and everyone else could feel her true pain.

"Y'know, it's actually kind of strange…" Sailor Moon continued, having an even harder time holding back. "see, last time, Jedite threw Tuxedo Mask into the water, and… we all thought he was dead back then… and… and now this time… he and Jedite really are…"

She finally broke down and burst into tears. She turned and threw her arms around Sailor Mars, who embraced her as she cried.

"It's okay…" she whispered. "Go on and let it out."

"It's not fair, Raye…" Sailor Moon sobbed. "We were going to be together for the rest of our lives… It was going to have the perfect storybook ending to… living happily ever after… We were going to get married, and move into a big castle, and I was going to have his children… Oh God, Raye, why did it have to end before it could even begin?"

"We can't tell you how sorry we are," said Mercury. "Darien was a good man; a brave man. He didn't deserve this."

"He died protecting all of us," said Jupiter. "Be proud of him for that."

"And he went out like a true hero," Venus added.

"Thank you, guys," said Sailor Moon, wiping away the tears. "But it's going to take a lot more than that for me to get over this."

"We know it is," said Mars. "And we'll do anything we can to help you."

"Well, for now… I… I just need a moment alone."

"You got it," said Mars. "Come on… she needs some time off…"

The others left Sailor Moon behind, as she turned back to the rooftop edge. She stared down at the broken locket in her hands, and opened up the lid. The locket played a short piece of its heavenly music, but it slowed down into it reached a complete stop. It played it last tune.

She looked out into the darkness below, then tossed the locket over the edge of the roof.

"Goodbye…" she sobbed, "my love…"

She turned and began to walk away.

"I appreciate the sentiment…" a voice suddenly called out.

Sailor Moon froze in her tracks, and all the other Sailors turned towards the edge in surprise. Sailor Moon slowly turned around and stared wide-eyed at the edge, then gasped as she saw an arm climb and hook itself on the edge. A large, muscular arm. A male arm!

Following the arm, a second one appeared from behind the wall, holding the star locket in his grasp! Even more, the arm was wearing the Earth Gauntlet!

Then, the arms hoisted up the body, revealing a head of coal black hair, and a devilishly handsome face.

"Although it was unnecessary," he finished.

"Oh my God…" she gasped. "Darien?"

"Well, it isn't Jackie Chan!" he replied. "Now I don't mean to be rude, but do you think you could help me up onto the roof before I have to start all the way from the bottom?"

Without any more waiting, she rushed over and grabbed his arms, and pulled him up onto the roof, and then onto his feet, she looked him in his dark blue eyes, and was nearly speechless. The others meanwhile were completely and totally unable to comment!

"Darien… I… I…" she stuttered. "Darien… I don't understand… I thought… I thought you were… I… I saw…"

"You saw exactly what I wanted Jedite to see," Darien interrupted. "After the explosion down below, I was thrown into one of the dark alleys. While the blast was going up, I had to make Jedite think I was dead so that you and the others could finally get the drive to defeat him on your own. So I did what I thought I had to and I threw the locket into the fire. I figured it was the one thing that convince Jedite that I was really and truly gone this time. And to make it look real, when he started searching for me, I hid from him until he left."

"So… you're…" she said. "You're not… I'm not dreaming all of this?"

"No, you're not," he said. "Plus, those dumbfounded expressions of the others' faces would say their just as surprised as you are."

Sailor Moon turned to her friends, and couldn't help but laugh when she saw their faces. She then turned back towards Darien, who stared deeply into her eyes, and she into his.

"Don't you ever scare me like that again," she said, "or I'll have to kill you myself."

He just smiled and laugh a little, then they both closed their eyes, and they moved closer together. They finally kissed passionately; a kiss that was long overdue. They held each other under the gray sky, which then and there was starting to clear up significantly. After a long time, they finally separated, and kept looking at each other with the same loving stares.

And the peasants rejoiced, so to speak.

The other Sailors joined the two lovebirds on the edge of the roof, where they jumped and cheered for joy around Prince Darien and Sailor Moon, who laughed hysterically at the sound of their cheerful ranting and raving. It certainly was a joyous occasion. Their old adversary was finally dead, and this time, there were no losses at all.

But something was still wrong.

And Sailor Moon was the first to sense it.

She parted with Darien and walked past her still cheering friends, and looked towards the center of the roof, where this strange feeling seemed to be coming from.

"Knock it off, guys," she said, silencing them. "Something's wrong."

"What do you mean?" asked Jupiter. "Jedite's dead, Darien isn't. What's wrong with that?"

"It's something else," Sailor Moon said. "Something even worse. Can't you feel it?"

Sailor Mars's eyes suddenly shot wide open. "I feel it too," she said, sounding sincerely worried. "What is that?"

"Whoa…" said Venus, suddenly sensing it as well. "Something tells me we shouldn't want to know."

One by one, all of them felt the same bizarre sensation. And all of them felt it coming from the center of the roof, where Jedite's ashes still lay. They hadn't dissolved like a normal Nega-Monster's remains would, but on the other hand, Jedite was no normal Nega-Monster; on the other hand, why would they still be sensing anything at all?

Sailor Moon slowly walked toward the center of the roof, where she could see some strange light flickering behind the rocks. Darien and the others followed her close behind, until she got as close as she wanted to.

There, they all stared at a somewhat frightening thing.

From Jedite's ashes, the same sparks of black energy were circulating, growing larger and larger with every spark, and building into a large glowing mass of evil power. Up above, the black lightning started crashing once more, almost in association with the strange electrical phenomenon.

Suddenly, a large bolt of lightning shot from the sky and struck the glowing mass on the rooftop, the force of which knocked the team of heroes backwards. The lightning meanwhile kept shooting down from the black clouds, and it increased in thickness as it was absorbed into the ground.

Sailor Moon watched with extreme fear. She didn't like this one bit. And she wasn't alone.

Without warning, a massive burst of light exploded from the center of the bolt, and as it dissolved, a bright beam of black light was in place of the lightning, still shooting down from the sky and into the ground. The center of the beam gave off several bright flashes of light, and then, one final burst of light erupted from the beam, but it did not go away; it stayed suspended in the air, and kept glowing brightly.

Then, an evil cackle came forth from within the light, one so evil that it almost cracked the debris covering the roof.

Sailor Moon could barely believe her ears. She knew this laugh.

Finally, a black shape appeared within the flash of light, that enlarged and formed itself into the shape of a female body, holding a long staff-like object in its right hand. As the figure walked forward, it grew to a full-size female, some 12 inches taller than Sailor Moon. The object turned into a long, black, spiked scepter, and the woman's outline became visible.

The woman finally stepped out of the light, and it dissolved in yet another flash. This time, the force sent all of the Sailors and Prince Darien flying backwards, landing on their backs. When they got back up, they got their first good look the newcomer.

She was dressed in a skin-tight, blood-red, sleeveless warrior's dress, with a loincloth that dropped in front of her legs on both sides of her body. She wore a metal belt around her waist and neck, each embedded with several black gems that reflected the light around them. Her arms were covered on one side with thick steel armor, broken into pieces so that there were three pieces covering each arm; one piece on the shoulder, a second on the upper arm, and the third on the lower arm. On the third piece was a steel glove that covered the hand, turning her fingers into claws. On her chest was a metal plate that covered the upper-most part of her dress, which too was donned with the same black gems. Her head was covered in reddish-brown hair, and around her forehead was a black crown. Along with that, her face showed a pure inner evil, with a grin that displayed several fanged teeth.

A gruesome sight on its own, but even more gruesome was the fact that all of them knew who this was.

"Oh dear God," said Sailor Moon. "No… no, it can't be…"

"I assure you, Moon Brat, is can and is," the newcomer said. "And now you die."

It was none other than the scourge of the NegaVerse. The empress of ultimate evil. The true destroyer of the Moon Kingdom, standing here, on Earth, in the flesh, and in full health. Yes, dear readers, it could only have been the vicious, seductive, and overpowering Queen Beryl.

"It's only been ten years, Sailor Moon!" the Queen said. "Don't tell me you don't recognize me, even with all my new adornments!"

"But..how?" she asked, thinking of nothing else to say. "How can you be here? You were dead! I knew for certain you were dead! I destroyed you myself all those years ago! You can't be here! It's just not possible!"

"It is possible, I can guarantee," Beryl replied. "But you are correct, I was dead. But as you can plainly see, I am no longer such."

"But how, dammit?!"

"You haven't figured it out by yourself yet?" she asked, floating to the ground. "I engineered all of this in advance! Everything from Jedite's return to his horrific end! All of it was me! It took me ten long years to awaken Jedite, even in his state of Eternal Sleep. My body was gone, but my essence remained in the NegaVerse, along with all my glorious power! And when Jedite awakened and he consumed all the energy there was, he not only gained his new powers; he took on my killing instinct! My true evil nature! My very soul! That is how he received that knowledge of how to adapt himself to the DreamScape, as well as all your identities!"

Sailor Moon listened intently. Was all of this even possible? Could Beryl possibly have engineered all of this?

"And further more," she continued, "I knew his first instinct would be to try and destroy the lot of you, so I simple let him. Any way it went, I would be released from his body and brought back to life, more powerful than ever before! If he finished you off, he saved me the trouble; he would still die, and I would be resurrected anyway. But if you defeated him, I would be brought back so I could get my revenge myself! I'm so glad you got rid of him; that laugh of his were really giving me a headache! And now, I am free again rule over this planet for all eternity!"

Sailor Moon as the others put their fears aside and got their bodies ready for battle. Each of them shifted into fighting stances, and their hands glowed with their elemental energy.

"You'll have to get through US first, Nega-trash!" Sailor Moon yelled.

Beryl grinned and laughed evilly.

"That's exactly what I'd hoped you would say!"

She then pointed her scepter at them, and it gave of a gargantuan burst of black light. The force of the blast sent all six of them flying backwards, landing on their backs! They all got back up, and face Beryl again, as she levitated off the ground and floated towards them. She turned her head to Prince Darien, who scowled at the very sight of her.

"Ah, my Prince Darien," she said. "I've been waiting to see you most of all…"

"The pleasure is anything but mine!" he replied defiantly.

"And with the same strong attitude as well," she said with a smile. "Just what I liked about you in the first place. Here is my offer, Darien. I'll give you one last chance to join me at my side, and rule all the universe as King and Queen for all time. Should you take that chance, I may consider sparing your pitiful little girlfriends, especially Sailor Moon. I promise you, my prince, it will be glorious! You and I, together, forever! Ruling the universe with our iron fists! What is your answer?"

Darien narrowed his glare on the evil queen, then suddenly whipped out his arm and threw a rose at her face! The queen turned her head to the side and dodged the flower as it flew by, the razor-sharp stem just missing her cheek! She then turned back to Darien and scowled angrily.

"Your mistake."

She pointed her left hand at him, and a beam of black light shot from her fingertips! The beam shot at Darien and exploded at his feet, knocking him backwards!

"Darien!" Sailor Moon cried out.

Darien landed on his back, and slowly got back up. He took only one blast, but it was so strong he could barely keep his stance.

Sailor Moon turned to Queen Beryl and growled. She ran forward, lunged at her, and tried to deliver a charged punch right to her ugly face! Beryl dodged to the side as Sailor Moon went past, then whipped her scepter at her and smashed her in the back! A burst of evil light came from the impact, and Sailor Moon wailed in pain and fell to the floor, then rolled over several times before resting on her back.

The other Sailors finally took action. Mercury and Mars started their new special attacks, thinking they could weaken Beryl.

"Mercury… Ultimate… Blizzard…"

"Mars… Extreme… Inferno…"

Beryl simply sneered and raised her scepter, which crackled with evil electricity. The attacks continued to build up, until they were finally ready to launch.

"Freeze!"

"Blaze!"

The icy wind and the burst of flame came at Queen Beryl simultaneously. But she just waved her crackling scepter in front of the air in front of her, reflect the attacks and sending them back where they came from! Sailor Mars was blown back by the ice wind, and Sailor Mercury was scorched by the flames! Both were sent onto their backs, where they lay unconscious.

"Your puny attacks are nothing to me!" Beryl cried out. "I am the ultimate power! Nothing can stop me!"

Sailors Jupiter and Venus took the lead.

"You've been waiting for a chance to fight me, girls," she said. "Now's your chance!"

The two of them huddled together momentarily to discuss their course of action. When they separated, Sailor Jupiter used her super-speed maneuver to zip behind Beryl. They both of them attacked! Sailor Venus shot out a beam of yellow light, while Jupiter sent out a stream of white electricity! They both came at Beryl, and then started circling around her. Beryl raised her hand into the air, and both attacks were absorbed and compacted into a tight ball of power! The ball was then turned back, and split in half! Then, with a wave of her hands, she sent both balls of energy at both Sailor Soldiers!

The attacks hit them both in the chest, sending them both the ground and knocking them senseless.

It was now that Sailor Moon rose to her feet again. She was slightly weakened, but she still had the will to fight. The evil queen turned to her the Moon Princess and laughed at her tenacity.

"Oh, up already, are you?" asked Beryl. "Well, I suppose I'll just have to give you a proper beating, now won't I?"

"Talk all you like, Beryl!" Sailor Moon replied, sounding as if nothing had happened to her. "I don't care how powerful you think you are! You're nothing to me but another dead opponent! And I'll defeat you just as easily as any of them! You know why? Because I'm your worst nightmare on two legs!"

Beryl laughed and shot a fireball at her. Sailor Moon simply dodged to the side and let the projectile explode on the ground. She retaliated with a projectile attack of her own. The attack flew at Beryl, but was just barely canceled out as the queen waved her scepter in front of her. She then started laughing again.

"You can't win, brat!" she said. "You're on your own now; your friends can't help you!"

"If I'm on my own, I'm on my own!" Moon said. "That's just means I'll work that much harder to put you back where you belong!"

In reply, Beryl, raised the scepter into the air, and a bolt of black lightning shot from the sky and struck it! She then pointed the tip of it at Sailor Moon, and sent a stream of black energy spiraling in her direction! Sailor Moon kneeled downward, placed her hands up, and released a stream of her own pink energy that blocked the black stream head on! The two attacks were locked together at first, but finally, with every once of strength Sailor Moon had in her, she forced her attack forward and through the black energy! Beryl dodged the pink stream of light in surprise, then turned and growled at Sailor Moon, who was looking somewhat fatigued.

"You're stronger than I thought," she commented. "No matter."

Taking advantage of the "Moon Brat's" obviously weakened condition, Beryl threw another fireball at her! But Sailor Moon simple her hand to the side and sent it spiraling in another direction! It exploded off in the distance, avoided both Sailor Moon and the other Sailors, who were still unconscious. Beryl was impressed, but she continued anyway. She threw several more fireballs at the Moon Princess, only to have them all sent in direction directions with a single wave of one of her hands. One was even reflected right back at Queen Beryl, but she dodged it in time!

Sailor Moon then began her own attack. She placed her hands in front of her body, the palms facing each other, and small orbs of pink energy were exchanged between them. She pulled them farther apart, and the orbs kept flowing back and forth. In the middle of the stream, a large sphere of pink energy was formed, and it increased in size with every second!

Finally, Sailor Moon held her hands around the sphere, curled them back behind her body, then threw them forward, sending the ball at Beryl! In mid-flight, the ball suddenly split into at least seven smaller balls, all of which were headed straight for the evil queen!

Beryl dodged left and right as the spheres exploded on the ground next to her. But there coming in too fast, and one of them hit her square in the chest! The explosion caught Beryl off guard, and she was sent stumbling backwards! When she caught her balance, the first thing she saw was Sailor Moon running at her from out of the smoke of the explosions! Beryl was then sent back even more when the Moon Soldier tackled her with her shoulder!

Sailor Moon backed away a little while the queen caught her balance. Beryl was even angrier than ever, while it seemed Sailor Moon was extremely calm, even for a situation like this.

Beryl replied to the attacks when she came at Sailor Moon, swinging around her glowing scepter, that trailed evil energy all over the place! Sailor Moon dodged left and right, up and down as the scepter's bladed tip came at her, but she couldn't hold it up forever. Beryl whirled around and took an overcharged slash at Sailor Moon's midsection! Sailor Moon avoided it, but the energy of the attack hit her in the body and sent her onto her back! While she was down, Beryl came at her again and tried to slice her in half! But she rolled to the side when Beryl tried, until the queen took a cheap shot and kicked her in the ribs! Sailor Moon doubled over in pain. Queen Beryl then whirled around again and hit Sailor Moon with the face of her glowing blade, knocking her backwards!

She rolled over again once she hit the ground, and almost couldn't move. Meanwhile, Beryl walked forward until she stood high over the Sailor's head, grinned maliciously, then raised the scepter into the air for one final blow.

But then, from behind her, something red came shooting through the air, hit Beryl's back, went through her body, and flying out her chest! Beryl's body froze for a second, then fell to her knees from the pain of whatever just hit her.

Sailor Moon backed away as the evil queen was nullified, then looked as she saw the red object slowly floating to the ground, until it landed right next her.

It was a rose.

Sailor Moon looked behind Beryl and saw Prince Darien on his foot. He arm was still outstretched from throwing the flower, but his body was shaking from weakness. Feeling fatigue, he fell to his knees, then looked to Sailor Moon and gave her a look as if to say, "I've done what I can do. Good luck."

Beryl turned and glared at Darien, while Sailor Moon got back up and ran towards her. In retaliation for the rose, Beryl pointed her scepter at the prince and prepared to fire. But before she could, Sailor Moon ran beside her and kicked at the handle, knocking the scepter out of Beryl's hands! She then spun around and kicked at her head! However, Beryl simply arched her back and avoided the kick. Sailor Moon continued spinning, and slashed the back of her fist through the air! But Beryl ducked the attack. When Sailor Moon faced forward again, Beryl placed her hands on the young warrior's chest and sent a dual blast of energy from each! The blasts sent Sailor Moon backwards, landing on her back! As she got back up, Beryl caught her scepter as it fell from the sky.

The evil queen immediately shot another burst of energy from the scepter! Sailor Moon dodged to the side as it exploded on the ground, and she rolled right in front of Darien. Beryl grinned evilly, then shot another large fireball, aimed at Darien! Sailor Moon saw the attack coming, however, ran backwards, grabbed Darien, and pulled both herself and the prince to the side as the blast exploded!

Darien and Serena rolled over each other several times, then stopped so that she could get off him.

"Are you all right?" she asked.

"Fine, fine," he said. "It's just that I thought the man was supposed to protect the woman!"

"Last century, lover," she said with a smile. "Now, if you'll excuse me…"

She rose to her feet, collected her energies, formed a ball of light in her hands, turned around, a hurled a massive pink fireball at Queen Beryl! The queen raised her scepter to block it, but the force of the impact knocked her backwards! While she strained to get back her balance, Sailor Moon rushed forward, jumped into the air, and hit Beryl in the face with a jump-kick! Beryl continued to lose her balance, while Sailor Moon continued the attacks. She punched at Beryl several times, but the evil queen simply blocked them with the staff of the scepter! She followed with a double jump-kick. Blocked. Finally, once on the ground again, she kneeled to the floor and kicked Beryl in the stomach. She then whirled around in her kneeled position, whipped out her foot and slashed her toe across her face! She finished when she spun around again, jumped into the air, whirled around in mid-air, and kicked Queen Beryl across the face!

The surprised Queen was knocked off her feet for the first time, and sent flying onto her back, while Sailor Moon landed safely on the ground!

Beryl slowly got back onto her feet, watching Sailor Moon with an enraged eye, watching her her body move up and down with every heavy breath.

Finally, the queen ran forward and slashed the scepter at Sailor Moon's body several times. But the Sailor Soldier dodged each one. However, after she finished making an overhead slash, Beryl whipped out her foot and kicked Sailor Moon in the chest! She went onto her back, then rolled out of the way when Beryl tried to stab her head, and the rock she managed to stab was split in half!

Sailor Moon finally got back up, and came at Beryl with a barrage of glowing attacks! A punch to the face here, a kick to the chest there, but all were dodged and blocked! Beryl made one last block with her scepter, and Sailor Moon grabbed hold of it with her hand. However, the queen whirled around, twisted the staff around, and flipped Sailor Moon onto her back! The Moon Soldier got onto her hands and spun around on her head, whipped out her feet! She caught Beryl off guard and sent her stumbling, then right afterward swept her off her feet! When she fell to her back, Sailor Moon spun around once more and whipped her foot across her face as she tried to get up!

Before she could get hit again, Queen Beryl rolled away, got to her knees, then slashed the blade of the scepter at Sailor Moon's head! Sailor Moon ducked. Beryl continued as she tried to cut her off at the legs. Sailor Moon used her momentum to jump off the ground, avoiding the attack, and backflipped to a distance of about teen feet!

Now before you could say "give it up already", Beryl was up again and attacking! She ran at Sailor Moon, and made a wild overhead chop with the blade of the scepter! But Sailor Moon stopped the attack when she grabbed the blade with both hands and held it in place! Beryl forced it downward, while Sailor Moon forced it up, equalizing things perfectly.

"You can't win, Sailor Brat!" the queen taunted. "You know you can't!"

"You know me, Beryl!" she replied. "Never one to give up till it's over."

"Then let's end it now!"

Her eyes suddenly gave off an evil black glow, and charges of electricity were sent through the blade! And unfortunately for Sailor Moon, because she held on to it, that included her! She yelled out as she was electrified, and then thrown backwards in a burst of black light!

Sailor Moon landed half on her back, half on her side, and lay near-unconscious on the ground, weakened from all the attacks, and of course from the sudden charge. Queen Beryl walked toward her and stood high over her head, grinning with delight.

"What's the matter, precious?" she asked evilly. "Too much for a little girly-girl to handle? I told you you couldn't defeat me. Not this time! The blood of revenge flows through my veins, and no one may bleed from it!"

She raised the scepter high over her head, and a crackle of black lightning flashed in the distant sky.

"I'm really going to miss you, Sailor Moon," Beryl said. "But alas, all annoying things must come to an end."

It looked bad. The blade was coming for her, and Sailor Moon was too weak to fight back.

But suddenly, a small spark of light flashed in the sky, and a thin beam of white light shot downward, and landed right in Sailor Moon's hand! She suddenly felt most of her energy returning, her eyes hot wide open, she turned, sat up, raised her arm, and used whatever just landed in her hand to block Queen Beryl's attack! From the impact, streams of white electricity came spiraling out, the force of which finally knocked Beryl away from Sailor Moon!

When she realized what had just happened, Sailor Moon finally got a look at what just suddenly flew into her hand.

It was a long, pink-colored staff, tipped on both ends with gold coverings, and a spearhead of some sort of the bottom end. Near the top, there was displayed a gold model of the crescent moon, attached to the staff in a way that formed a axe blade of sorts. It shined like the stars.

"What…" she said, "is this?"

"My final gift to you, my darling," a sweet said from above. "My last offering to your quest for justice."

Sailor Moon recognized the voice instantly. It was Queen Serenity.

Suddenly, a bright flash of white light came from the sky, lighting up everything on the rooftop and the sky around it. Beryl was forced to cover her eyes from it, while Sailor Moon seemed unaffected. Then, as the light dissolved, the spirit-like form of Queen Serenity appeared behind the Moon Soldier, who turned around and looked in surprise as her mother entered the scene.

"This is the Lunar Staff," she said, "a tool of incredible power, and what our family has used to rule over the Moon Kingdom for so many years before it was ended. Now you are one of its last descendants, and therefore it is yours now."

Sailor Moon carefully examined this new weapon, and knew Serenity wasn't bluffing. She could feel the staff's power flowing through both itself and her body. It the most amazing feeling yet.

"Queen Serenity!" Beryl said. "I thought you were long-since out of the picture."

"The higher powers witnessed your little unauthorized resurrection, and they sent me to assist," she replied. "And just in time, it seems."

"You're still too late to save your daughter, or her friends!" the evil queen replied. "Whatever new weapon you've just given her won't do her any good! I am still the more powerful! I will still win! I will crush this planet's last defenses, and then the planet itself!"

The staff and the crescent both suddenly gave off a quick flash of light, then Sailor Moon looked at Beryl with a determined eye.

"Over my dead body, Nega-scum!"

Beryl was taken aback. She took several steps backward from Sailor Moon's sudden portrayal of defiance, not to mention that she could clearly sense a sudden increase in her power. Sailor Moon got up and faced the queen, looking her straight in the eyes. At the same time, her blue eyes gave of a pink glimmer for several seconds.

"You see, Beryl?" said Serenity, walking up behind Sailor Moon's back. "No matter how powerful you become, the forces of good will always become stronger, faster, better than you! And my daughter here is prime example."

Beryl wouldn't couldn't take it anymore. In a fit of rage, she threw her hand forward and threw a large black fireball at both of them! But before it could reach them, Sailor Moon pointed the crescent moon at it, and a bolt of white lightning shot from the tip of the staff, striking the fireball and destroying it!

"Serena…" said Queen Serenity.

Sailor Moon turned around to face her.

"It is only right that the Lunar Staff should now be in your hands," the queen said. "Use it well, for it harbors ancient powers that even the greatest of those who held it know not of. And not only are its powers second to none, but it can be blended with your own inner power to created an ultimate weapon of good, one that can never be defeated. I know it will serve you well."

Sailor Moon smiled at her. "Thank you, Mother…"

Serenity smiled, and kissed Sailor Moon on the forehead. Then, as the light from above slowly brightened to a blinding level, she disappeared. The light dissolved, as did the flashing in the sky. This left only Queen Beryl, Sailor Moon, and their two weapons of battle.

Then, with a flash of pink light in her eyes, Sailor Moon turned and glared at the evil queen.

"You're mine!"

Without any warning, the Moon Soldier came charging at Queen Beryl, and took a mighty swing with the Lunar Staff! Beryl raised her scepter and blocked the attack, and a gigantic burst of light erupted from the impact! Sailor Moon attacked again and again, swinging the staff like an axe, and Beryl blocked each time, meanwhile letting the blade of the crescent moon come closer and closer! Finally, she swung the staff again, and made an energized blow to Beryl's chest!

Queen Beryl flew backwards and landed on her back, but quickly got back up, and examined the area of the blow. There was a burn mark, and a small scratch in the cloth of her dress. She looked up and snarled, while Sailor Moon twirled around the staff stylishly, then shifted into a fancy fighting stance.

She finally to her feet and charged, then started swinging her scepter at Sailor Moon! She blocked all her attacks, then began an attack of her own. Blocked. Beryl attacked twice. Blocked. The two of them went at it for some time, much like a swordfight. And every time an attack was blocked, sparks of energy flowed from the impact! It was intense. And no one on the rooftop knew just how intense it would be.

Sailor Moon started forward with a barrage of slashes to Queen Beryl's body, each time the staff getting closer to her. Beryl blocked each one as best she could, but finally, she could block no more. Sailor Moon thrust the spearhead of the staff at Beryl's stomach. Beryl dodged it, but the blade still caught her in the side! Beryl stumbled around as she felt the pain! Sailor Moon followed when Beryl's back faced, and she made a massive slash up her backside! Beryl stumbled around again. Sailor Moon finished when Beryl faced forward again. She whirled around and swung the blade of the crescent moon across her belly! Beryl stumbled backwards and shook from the intense pain, while Sailor Moon backed away and prepared for her next attack.

But as she motioned to make another swing at her body, Queen Beryl gathered her strength and blocked the attack with her scepter! Sparks of black and pink energy spewed from the impact, and the two weapons were locked together, and the two fighters were staring each other in the face! Beryl growled with anger as she tried to force her weapon forward, while Sailor Moon remained impassive, keeping the same determined look in her eyes!

Then, in a build-up of light and energy, the jewel of Sailor Moon's tiara began glowing brightly, as did her eyes. Then, she forced the Lunar Staff forward, and knocked Beryl's scepter away! Then, as she tried to attack again, Sailor Moon made an upward cut through the air; the crescent moon clashed with the blade of Beryl's scepter, and the entire thing shattered like glass! In a blast of black light, Queen Beryl was thrown backwards as her weapon was destroyed!

The evil queen ever so slowly got back onto her feet, and watched as the dust from the explosion cleared away. When it did, there was Sailor Moon, standing tall and proud, the Lunar Staff still at her side.

"Give up?" she asked.

Beryl yelled like a insane person, then leapt into the air and floated high above Sailor Moon's head! Immediately afterward, she started throwing blast after blast of dark energy! Unprepared for the attack, Sailor Moon dodged back and forth to avoid the blasts! Finally, one caught her on the shoulder, and it knocked her to the ground! Beryl took advantage of her downed condition, and threw another large blast at her! But before it hit, Sailor Moon got up and dodged backwards, avoiding the attack as it exploded in her face!

When it was over, Beryl was in the air, and Sailor Moon was still no the ground. Both of them were weak from the attacks, and both of them were still ready for anything.

"Give up, Sailor Moon!" Beryl ordered. "I am eternal as the desert sands!"

"Never."

"Look at me, Moon Brat!" the evil queen shouted. "Look at me! Here I am! I'm the master of your destiny! I am the one! The only one! I am the god of kingdom come! And I am your forever lord and queen!"

The whole situation was really to annoy Sailor Moon. Was there any way to defeat this beast!

But then, she remembered the last thing Queen Serenity said to her before she left for the last time:

"Not only are its powers second to none," her words were, "but it can be blended with your own inner power to created an ultimate weapon of good, one that can never be defeated. I know it will serve you well."

Sailor Moon smiled triumphantly.

"That's all fine and dandy, Beryl," she replied, "but I've still got one last trick up my sleeve."

She concentrated her inner energy, then raised the Lunar Staff into the air above her, as the crescent moon began to glow brightly. It suddenly gave off a short series of intense flashes of light. It then shot of beam of pink light into the sky, as Sailor Moon shouted out these words:

"Lunar Crescent Scepter Power!"

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~**

On the outskirts of the dark city, two small sources of pink light began to shin from deep underneath the rubble ground surrounding the black skyscrapers. The light became brighter and brighter, as if the lights were either getting larger, or their sources were about to breach the surface.

Suddenly, two explosion erupted from the surface of the ground, and from the holes created came two large glowing objects, glowing so brightly that it was impossible to make out what they were.

The circled around each other several times, trailing small sparks of pink light that floated to the ground and disappeared. Then, they both flew off together, heading for the city; more importantly, the tallest building there. They spiraled up the walls of it, moving faster and faster, until they reached the rooftop and flew toward the center of it, where Sailor Moon stood with the Lunar Staff raised above her head.

They floated next to Sailor Moon, while Beryl was forced to shield herself from the intense light.

The two orbs circled around her, while their glow slowly began to die down. And as they did, two familiar relics of the past were revealed under the intense light, both displaying the familiar crescent moon shape; the Crescent Wand, and the Moon Scepter.

Sailor Moon held the staff with both hands, lowered her head, and concentrated hard on combining all her strength; all her power; all she had to fight with.

As she powered up, the crescent moon shapes on all three weapons began to glow brightly. Then, the wand and scepter floated up and over the top of the Lunar Staff, with the wand over the scepter, and scepter over the staff. The glow grew intensely bright, and when it did, all three weapons melted into one another! Beryl again covered her eyes from the light, while Sailor Moon didn't even budge.

When the light was gone, Sailor Moon now held one large, powerful-looking weapon in her hand.

It was magnificent; a complete mixture of the three weapons. First, there was the handle; basically the Lunar Staff, but stretched out at least a foot, and with a larger spearhead on the bottom, so that one could rest it on the ground while holding it. Next, the area above where Sailor Moon held it was thickened, and the Crescent moon shape that was there before had turned upwards, just like the one that would appear on her forehead, and in its "mouth" was embedded a large pink gemstone. Above this was the small winged structure that was part of the Moon Scepter, only it had been enlarged, and its design enhanced, making it look more majestic. Finally, above this, there was the crescent moon design again, but it was the one from the Crescent Moon Wand, and it too had been turned upwards, as well as grown larger. In the mouth of this crescent, there floated a transparent pink crystal bubble, in the center of which was a constantly-flickering sparkle of pink light.

"You think another stupid moon weapon is going to stop me?!" Beryl cried out. "You are sorely mistaken!"

With that, Beryl again threw fireball after fireball at the Moon Soldier. But this time, she didn't dodge out of the way. She simply raised the new Lunar Crescent Scepter into the air, and a invisible spherical shield magically formed around her, one that was only seen when the fireballs exploded against it!

In another fit of rage, Beryl threw forth both hands, and let loose a massive stream of black lightning from her hands! Sailor Moon raised the scepter again, and the lightning was absorbed into the pink bubble floating on the top! Beryl kept shooting the lightning from her fingers, hoping the destroy the scepter, but to her surprise, the bubble suddenly gave off a brilliant flash of pink light, the lightning turned white, and Beryl's head were stung with incredible pain! She screamed out as she stumbled backwards in the air, and the lightning disappeared. She again started sending a barrage of fireballs at Sailor Moon, but she simply canceled out every one.

"Aaaargh!" she growled. "How are you doing this?! I'm supposed to be invincible! How can you be beating me?!"

"What can I say, Beryl?" Sailor Moon replied. "Some things never change."

Finally, in one last retaliation, Beryl raised her hands high over her head, and a giant ball of black energy started forming in her hands. Sailor Moon held onto the scepter tightly, ready to take the attack. Beryl continued building the fireball, until it was as large as her own body! Then, with a mighty yell, she threw her arms downward and hurled the fireball at her!

But before it hit, Sailor Moon raised the scepter in front of her and blocked it! She strained as the fireball forced her backwards. Meanwhile, she concentrated her energy, to deflect the fireball in the other direction. A mighty blast of wind struck her, blowing away pieces of debris, but the Moon Soldier stayed in place. Then, all of a sudden, the entire fireball turned bright pink, and was sent shooting right back at Queen Beryl! The queen screamed as her own attack struck her and sent her flying backwards!

And then Sailor Moon ended it, once and for all.

She raised the top of the scepter high over her head, and the bubble started glowing brightly. She brought it downward and circled it around her, while the bubble trailed its energy around her, forming a pink circle of sparkling light. The lights disappeared, but the bubble continued glowing. Sailor Moon stylishly twirled the scepter around in a figure-8 motion several times, then pointed the top crescent moon at Queen Beryl, as a thick beam of pink energy shot forth from it, striking Beryl in the chest!

Beryl screamed out as the beam pierced her heart, and her body shook violently as the beam started tearing her apart from the inside! Sailor Moon concentrated her power on magnifying the beam's power, but all she could muster up at the time still wasn't enough.

"Sailors!" she called out in her thoughts. "The Crescent Scepter is powerful, but it's still not strong enough yet for me to defeat Beryl on my own… I need your strength… I need your love… I need your help… now, more than ever before… help me destroy her forever!"

Slowly, the unconscious Sailor Soldiers opened their eyes and awoke from their sleep. One by one, they slowly rose to their feet, and stood on all four corners of the rooftop.

"Help… me…"

Sailor Mercury reached into the locket on her chest, and took out the Mercury Sapphire. She raised it into the air, and it floated away from her hands, glowing an icy blue light.

"Mercury… Sapphire… Power!"

The gem floated within five feet of the Sailor Moon and the Crescent Scepter, floated in mid-air, glowing its light, then shot forth a stream of blue ice energy, one that was absorbed into the very source of the beam of light that was still coming forth!

Mars rose to her feet, and withdrew the Mars Ruby from her locket.

"Mars… Ruby… Power!"

The ruby, glowing a deep red, floating to the same distance as the Mercury Sapphire, and shot a stream of burning flames, that was sucked into the crescent moon along with the ice! Sailor Moon could already feel the scepter's power increasing as her friends assisted.

Jupiter was next, as she took the Jupiter Emerald and let it float into the scene.

"Jupiter… Emerald… Power!"

When it floated into the appropriate position, it shot a stream of electricity into the beam! Sailor Moon could still feet the power level rising, and watched as the beam became stronger, and the crescent moon glowed pure white from the intense power flowing in and out of it.

Finally, Sailor Venus got up, removed the Venus Topaz from her locket, and entered it into the gathering of energy.

"Venus... Topaz... Power!"

When the gem was in the right place, it shot of thin beam of bright yellow light into the crescent!

The circle of power was complete. Sailor Moon continued to release the scepter's power, while the four planetary gems, the sapphire, ruby, emerald, and topaz, surrounded it and relinquished their own energy to feed the beam's power. Meanwhile, Beryl was still up in the sky, screaming her lungs out as the beam was beginning to take its final effect. Al it needed was Sailor Moon's final command.

"Lunar… Crescent Scepter…"

A large pink ball of energy started growing from the crystal bubble in the mouth of the crescent moon. It grew to an immense size, while laser lights of the colors pink, blue, red, green, and yellow shot in and out of it. The power was so intense it was about to burst! And Beryl would find out first hand!

"Annihilation!"

In a massive burst, the sphere of pink light was sent shooting along the beam, hitting Queen Beryl right in the chest!

The sky was turned a blinding white as a massive explosion blew forth from the impact! When the light eventually died away, a ring of white expanded from the point of erupted, and covered the entire circumference of the city before it dissolved into nothingness.

Sailor Moon was finally able to open her eyes and see the results of this magnificent occurrence.

Floating in the mid-air was Beryl, but her body was turned to stone, and it still showed the same horror that it displayed before the final attack. Suddenly, large cracks in the surface of the statue formed, and beams of light filtered through. The cracks became larger and larger, until…

Boom!

One final explosion, one final burst of light, and the statue burst apart into a countless pieces, that in turn exploded and burst into smaller pieces, until there were only two two things left; the smoke from the explosion and the dust from the pieces.

"And this time…" said Sailor Moon, "stay gone!"

Just then, sparks of white electricity started erupting from the whirlpool of clouds up above. Their size became larger and large with every bolt, until a blast of white lightning struck the center of the rooftop, just missing Sailor Moon! The ground started rumbling and shaking, while more hole in the overcast sky started ripping themselves open, and streaks of lightning shot from the sky, striking different sections of the black city, in some cases destroying the building located there!

The Sailor Soldiers grouped together and watched as whatever was happening took its course.

"What now?!" asked Sailor Mars.

"Like we don't have enough problems!" said Jupiter.

"Don't worry, everyone," Sailor Moon reassured them. "I think I know what's going on here."

More and more streaks of lightning struck the city, and eruptions of light started forming all around the city like volcanoes! They became brighter and brighter and brighter, while the lightning kept coming.

Suddenly, the lightning stopped, and all that was left were the eruptions. They all shot bright beams of light into the sky above, forming a cage around the entire city! They disappeared only seconds after they came forth from the ground, and the eruptions split apart and formed a ring of light encircling everything! Afterward, the ring started contracting, moving its way inward, toward the center of the city and the very rooftop the Sailor Soldiers stood on! Meanwhile, everything the ring covered was enveloped in sparkles of white flickering light!

Finally, the ring made its way to the very bottom of the middle skyscraper, then started rising up the top of it! Within seconds, the ring was at the top of the building, and just as it reached the center of the rooftop…

All went pure white for several seconds.

When the light dissolved, Sailor Moon and her friends opened their eyes to a most amazing sight.

Everything was restored.

Everything in the city of Tokyo, from the streets, to the buildings, to the cars running all over town, to the people hustling and bustling on the sidewalks, to the airplanes crossing the skies, to the billboards splattered across the face of the skyscrapers, and to the majestic Tower of Tokyo on which they now stood was restored, in all its glorious, colorful, and psychotic glory.

It was over. For the first time since all of this began, it was really over.

While the Sailors cheered in delight, Sailor Moon walked over to Prince Darien, who was still lying on the ground. Her steps were somewhat unstable, for the intensity of all that had happened this day had weakened her to the point of exhaustion. Her breathing was also very heavy, even for a battle like this.

She knelt down beside her prince, just as he was beginning to show signs of consciousness. He opened his eyes and sat up, and saw Sailor Moon sitting next to him.

"Is Beryl…?" he asked.

"Yes, my love," she replied. "It's finally over."

She took his hand and pulled him to his feet, then they wrapped their arms around each other lovingly.

"Thank God too," he said. "All this fighting was really starting to tick me off."

Sailor Moon laughed at the obvious joke, but her laughing soon ceased as she felt her strength leave her body without warning.

"Darien…" she said with a raspy voice. "Darien… I feel weak…"

Her eyes suddenly closed, her body tilted backwards, and she fainted.

Panicked by this sudden wave of sickness, Darien caught her before she could fall to the floor, and carefully laid her down on the floor. The other Sailors, startled by what just happened, gathered around Darien as he attempted.

"Serena!" he called out to her. "Serena, wake up!"

But she didn't wake up… at least not for some time afterward.

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM****~SM~**

~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~

**********~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM****************~SM~SM****************~SM~**

******I AM SOOO SORRY! May is an absolutely insane month in my house. 4 birthdays, 3 graduations and the end of a school year where I work. BUT here is the LAST CHAPTER! Epilogue will follow soon! Its already written so I should have it up within a week!**


	11. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

Serena spent several days in the hospital in a coma. The stress of the final climactic battle with the resurrected Queen Beryl had severely drained her body of energy, almost to the point of death. Fortunately, the damage was not so great the world was robbed of such a courageous warrior. She recovered after about five days. Andrew accounted the illness to a dormant virus that had apparently been given to her by one of her friends, and that also caused the comas that the others suffered from as well. Although fellow doctor Darien knew better, he agreed with Andrew's diagnosis to preserve their secrets.

She eventually awoke from her sound slumber, with all of her friends around her. She had to spend several more days in the hospital, however, for her body was still in a weakened condition.

But this didn't bother her that much; in fact, she welcomed the chance to get some well-deserved peace and quiet, while she made the most of her time alone. And when he could, Darien stayed with her and kept her company.

"So how are you feeling?" he asked.

"Better than ever," she said. "I still don't feel quite up to speed yet, but Andrew says I'll be out of here by Wednesday, tops."

Darien smiled, while she slipped her hand over his.

"Thank you for staying with me, Darien," she said. "I don't think the stay here would be quite as pleasant without you."

"Hey, I do what I can," he replied. He then took a quick glance at his watch. "Visiting hours are almost over; I should be going. I wouldn't want to Andrew to have to throw me out. I'll be back tomorrow, okay?"

He reached over and kissed her on the cheek, then turned and started for the door, but then stopped again.

"Ooh, I almost forgot," he said. "Your parents asked me to drop this off for them; they would have given it to you themselves, but your mother figured you could do without more of your dad badgering me about our relationship again. A pretty good call on her part, if I do say so myself."

He handed her a small paper bag that he had set on the table earlier. Inside was a stationary pad and several pre-sharpened pencils.

"Just in case you have some thoughts that you need to show when no one's around," he explained. "Wish I'd thought of it."

"Tell them I said thanks the next time you see them," she said.

"I've got to go. I'll be back," he said. Then he left.

Serena put the stationary and pencils on the table, then lay back in her bed and rest her head on the pillow, and tried to go to sleep. But she couldn't sleep; she had too much on her mind to even think about sleep now. She just stared up at the tiles on the ceiling, and for several minutes tried counting the holes in them. Giving up on that from the utter boredom caused by it, she sat up in bed, and just thought to herself.

"I can't help but think…" she said, to what seemed like no one in particular. "Was it really possible that Beryl planned out everything in advance like she said she did?"

"Beryl was always one with a plan," a voice answered. "I'm not surprised if she really did plan it all out."

Suddenly, a strange mist seeped in from under the bed, and floated up, forming a large purple cloud on the other side of the room. As it flowed around, it started taking a shape, until it formed a tall, uniform-clad male form.

When the transformation was complete, the spirit of Nephlite had appeared.

"Jedite, on the other hand," he continued, "was most likely one to hold a grudge for some two thousand years or so, and he'd do anything to carry out his revenge, with or without a plan to get there. The fact that he formulated how to attack you and your friends in the realm of the subconscious forced me and the others to consider just what was really going on."

"The others?" she asked.

"Yes," Nephlite answered. "Zoycite, Malachite, and myself… all wallowing in our miserable eternal fates, forcing to look over our wasted lives… or lack thereof. We simply roam around Purgatory all together nowadays, having actually become friends after all this time. Never thought I'd see THAT happen. I hated Zoycite and Malachite like a pestilence. But these days, we've put aside our past differences and learned to live with each other. That is our curse; so why not make the best of it?"

"So it was you along?" Serena asked. "Inside Jedite's head, driving him insane while we fought him?"

"We weren't trying to drive him insane," he said. "We were to save him; just like you tried to save me once. We all knew how he could repent, give up the live of death and destruction and simply lead a normal life. We figured getting him to recant his evil ways might just be our path to redemption. Unfortunately, he refused to listen; Beryl's influence was simply too much… but, yes, it was us inside his mind when he apparently went insane. And trust me, we didn't have to push him that far."

Serena smiled. She found it interesting how after all that had happened, a man like Nephlite could keep a sense of humor.

"Out of humble curiosity," he said, "just how have you known that we were there all along?"

"Kind of a sixth sense, I guess," she said, "brought on by the power of the Lunar Diamond. I felt some extra presence there when I fought Jedite in the DreamScape, and I kept feeling it again and again afterwards. And when Jedite just started yelling out at no one, I knew there was something else; some other influence on Jedite's mind that the others Sailors couldn't… but I sensed it. Sound strange to you?"

"I am two thousand and five hundred years old, Serena," he said. "I've seen plenty a stranger thing."

"So what will happen to Jedite's spirit now?"

"Well, if he isn't condemned to rotting in hell forever and ever, he'll most likely end up with us," he said. "He'll learn all the same things we have, and then we'll have the privilege of chewing him out for the rest of eternity, however long that may be."

"At least for you, time isn't an object anymore," she said. "What may have seemed like two weeks ago for me had to have been more like two seconds for you."

"Time is irrelevant when you're dead," he replied. "That's the most important thing I've learned; and I've known it ever since my own death." He turned towards Serena, walked up to the side of her bed, and looked her straight in the eyes. "Can I offer a small piece of advice, Serena?"

She nodded yes.

"Cherish your time on earth," he said. "Never waste a single moment of when you're alive and free. Because if you do, before you know it, it will be gone, and you'll never again have a chance to relive it. There will be others like it, I'm sure… but they just aren't the same. When you see an opportunity for true happiness in your life, you reach out, and for God's sake, grab it before it has a chance to get away…"

She considered his words. They made perfect sense.

"Ask yourself, Serena," he continued, "ask yourself what the one important thing that's missing from your life is, and when you see the first good chance of getting it, you remember what I've said, and you take it."

She smiled. "I promise," she said, "I will remember."

Nephlite sort of cracked a smile, then left the side of the bed.

"Where did you learn that from?" she asked.

"Who do you think?" he answered. "The one person who could have possibly saved me from my dismal existence… It was because of her that I almost left Queen Beryl and started my own life again."

Serena looked back on the past, and remembered the tortured scream of a close friend as Nephlite died that sorrow-filled night. She would never forget the pain and the anguish that poor girl went through. It was easy to say that Molly was never quite the same after that night.

"How is she these days?" asked Nephlite.

"She's fine," Serena said. "She's never forgotten you. She still has that bandage that she made for you that night when your arm got cut. She keeps it for good luck, because she knows you're out there somewhere, keeping an eye on her. You have been doing that, right?"

"Oh yes," he said. "Yes, I've been keeping in touch."

"She's, uh…" she tried to say, "she's… found someone else… since you… You know that… right?"

"Yes, I know," he replied. "And it's all for the better. I mean, why waste the rest of your life, mourning over one lost soul?"

He then turned and headed for the door "I should leave you be, now," he said. "You'll probably want to get some rest." He was about to walk through the door, when he turned one last time and said, "Serena…"

She looked up and turned to him.

"Do my one last favor," he said. "If, in the passing time, you ever see Molly again… tell her… I send my love…"

She smiled again. "I will."

He smiled, then turned and vanished.

Serena turned towards the ceiling, and again stared at the holes in the tiles. Giving up from boredom again, she turned toward the table, then took the paper pad and one of the pencils.

"Just in case you have some thoughts that you need to show when no one's around," Darien had said.

"Well, no one's around right now," she thought. "I suppose now's a perfect time."

She removed the plastic wrap from the paper, flipped to the first page, and started writing:

_FROM THE MIND OF SERENA TSUKINO_

_The past several weeks have been pretty hellish. I know I've experienced some pretty strange things in my twenty-four years of existence, but some things just majorly cross that line of normalcy. In my case, I suppose it's just to say that some things never change. But hey, even I have my limits. First an enemy I thought was dead comes back to haunt me, then an enemy I knew for sure was dead manages to resurrect herself and puts the perfect end to one hell of a day. All this, and I haven't been to work in days. My superiors are gonna kill me._

_And the experience hasn't just taken its toll on me; all my friends have been affected by it to. Heck, they were on the front lines with me when all of it went down; why shouldn't there have been some lasting effect? I know MY life will never be the same ever again. Almost nine years thinking that it's over and then something like this comes along. Seems like now I'll be looking over my shoulder for the rest of my life. But what fun would that be? Fear is no way to live one's life. I've learned that the hard way. And boy, did it hurt!_

_It's strange… the entire world was saved that night, and all but six people and two talking cats know not a thing about it. So much for gratitude. Oh well; saving a planet will just have to be good enough._

_Everyone's been affected. That enough is certain to me. They may not show it at first, but I know deep in my heart that they'll never forget a moment of this._

_Mina's started into this "do it before it's too late" phase, and in the midst of it, she got the idea to do what she's been wanting to do for some time now; book a concert right here in Tokyo. She even chose specific songs to sing when she performs; some old favorites of ours like "Power of Love", "Carry On", and a few other good ones. She even begged Raye for permission to use "Oh Starry Night". Raye said as long as the others got some decent front-row seats, and that she was given credit for the song, Mina could use it. Mina was more than happy to reserve the seats._

_The concert is scheduled for next week. Good thing I'll be out of here by then. And it's a good thing we already have seats too; Raye was there when the ticket line… oh, I'm sorry, the ticket mob grabbed every seat available to them. She said she hadn't seen a ticket rush that large and anxious since the opening of Star Wars: Episode One! Makes sense to me. Mina seems to be the biggest thing these days since the invention of karaoke._

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~**

The auditorium was packed, and all eyes were on Mina as she stood upon the stage, the spotlights lighting up her beautiful frame. She stood looking out upon the cheering crowd, microphone in hand, smiling as one of her greatest dreams came true right before her very eyes.

Meanwhile, on the side of the stage, her boyfriend, a handsome young man by the name of Richard, the one who was to star with her in her next Sailor V movie, stood behind the curtain, watching with joy as the crowd cheered out the name of her lover. And down in the crowd, in the very front row, there sat Serena, Darien, Amy, Raye, and Lita, along with Luna and Artemis hidden on a box, enjoying the show.

The night had been a total success. Mina sang several choice songs, and the crowd loved each one. And the way she sang them was simply fantastic, even for a live performance. Every song was accompanied by waves of deafening applause.

They finally calmed themselves down, and Mina was able to speak.

"Thank you all coming tonight," she said to all the screaming fans. "This night would not have been possible without all of you hear to enjoy it with me."

"She is so digging this!" Serena whispered to Darien.

"And why shouldn't she?" he replied. "This is probably going to be the greatest night of her life."

"My final song of the evening is most likely my all-time favorite," Mina said, "because it typically illustrates my life story. Friends are everything to me. My friends, who are in the audience with you as I speak, have always been there for me, through thick and thin, good and bad, and simply whenever I need them. Friends are what makes even the worst life the best it can be. Friends are what everybody needs; to help them through a bad experience, to cheer you up when you're down… or simply when you need someone on a rainy day."

The crowd started cheering once again, getting the hint. Mina's final song would be "Rainy Day Man".

The opening music started in the background, as Mina prepared to sing. Then, as the final notes were being played, Mina took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

Then, she poured out her very spirit into the crowd as she sang the words, with the backup singers echoing behind her…

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~**

_All the power to her. I know the concert is gonna rock!_

_Lita has taken a different approach. She of course doesn't have a singing career, even though she can sing a few good notes if she tries. But she does have something else to work on though; yes, you guessed it… the restaurant. With her cellular phone in hand, she's been talking for hours at a time trying to get the international deal to work. If she succeeds, her restaurant's name will be seen in every major city on the planet, and she can earn enough money to move back to Tokyo like she's always wanted. I'm glad she's got so much initiative in this. I just wish she'd use it to find herself a decent man. Every jerk she tries to date just ends up leaving, and she almost sends them to the emergency room. And no, that's not an exaggeration._

_There is, on the other hand, this old crush on Andrew she has, even though he officially has a girlfriend… but on the other hand, there are things about Andrew that would lead me to believe otherwise…_

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~**

People were constantly turning their heads as Lita walked down the street, phone in hand, yelling into the receiver.

"I don't think you're listening to me, Jack!" she snapped. "I don't care how much it's going to cost to put one in Las Vegas! If we get in New York, Los Angeles, Moscow, Paris, Madrid, Berlin, half of Africa, Sydney, and Tokyo, then why not in the Neon Jungle?… Hey, don't you try and lay that on me! I know how your tiny little mind works, so don't you be trying to fool me here!… Don't think! Just pick up your checkbook and make it happen!"

She snapped the phone shut, and leaned up against a brick wall, and sighed discontently.

"Sweet mother of God, what a moron…" she said to herself.

"Trouble with the underlings?" a voice suddenly asked.

Lita tilted her head up and saw a tall, blonde-haired man standing in front of her, leaned up against a wall of another building, right next to a window. He wore blue jeans, a light blue shirt, and an apron over it. It was Andrew.

"Andrew!" Lita cried. Almost falling on her butt from surprise. When she finally caught her balance. She grinned sheepishly and walked up to him.

"How are you, Lita?" he asked.

"Oh, uh, fine… yeah, yeah, everything's fine…" she said, somewhat at a loss for words.

"Didn't quite sound like it," he said. "At least not from the way your were pouring your guts out to that poor man over the phone just now."

"Oh, that!" she said nervously. "I'm, uh, just having a little trouble with this international thing my restaurant is dealing with. If I can get it to work the way I want it to, I can get restaurants all over the planet, and I can finally move back into Tokyo. I've even got my old apartment reserved for me all these years."

"Glad to hear you're going okay," Andrew said. "I would hope the deal goes through, what with the way you're shouting your demands over the phone. That way, they'll have to give you what you want, otherwise you can threaten to come there personally!"

Lita laughed. It was kind of an insult to her negotiation tactics, but a genuinely funny one.

"So how is everything else?" he asked. "Job status, home life… boyfriend, maybe?"

"Boyfriend? Oh heck no!" she said. "I couldn't keep a boyfriend to save my sorry hide. Every time I find someone I think looks good, it just gets blown off, and for all the wrong reasons too. And in most cases, they started off for the wrong reasons… fortunately, those are the ones that don't even last the first date."

Andrew laughed under his breath.

"So what about you, Blondie?" she said. "How has Rita been doing all this time? You hardly ever mention her to anyone. How has her entomology thing gone?"

The smile on Andrew's face suddenly faded. He tried to find some words to say to answer her question, but couldn't think of any. His only hope was to change the subject.

"Well… uh…" he stuttered. "I don't really like talking about that… kind of thing… What do you think of the arcade? You probably didn't even see it on your way here, did you? Most people don't."

Lita couldn't help but notice the blatant attempt to switch things around.

"Andrew is something wrong?" she asked. "Is something going on between you and Rita that we don't know about?"

His attempt failed. Now he was in trouble. Thinking of nothing useful to say, he sighed with discontent and sat down on the ground with his back against the wall, burying his head in hands as if he was ashamed of something.

"What's wrong?" she asked, sitting down next to him. "Was it something I said?"

"Uuhh…" he groaned. "I just can't keep lying like this anymore… especially not to you, Lita…"

"Andrew what's going on? For the love of God, tell me and I might be able to help!"

He finally uncovered his face and looked at her.

"Rita and I broke up."

"I'm so sorry…" she said, genuinely saying so. "When?"

"A couple years ago," he answered.

Now she was surprised. He broke up with his girlfriend of years past and he hadn't told anyone of it for the last several years? Bizarre. "How did it happen?" she asked. "Big fight or something?"

"We tried to do the whole 'long-distance relationship' thing as best we could," he explained. "But she finally got fed up with it, called me on the phone, and said, 'Sorry, Andy, it just isn't working for me. It was fun while it lasted, but now it's just too much a hassle for us.' The minute we hung up, a filled up a box with everything of hers that was in my house, and sent it to Africa, with a note to her saying I never wanted to hear from her again. I haven't heard from her since."

"Whoa…" said Lita, trying to to comprehend everything. "What a way to go. I mean, you two were such an item!"

"I know, I know…" he said. "And I just can't stop feeling so guilty about it."

"Guilty?" she asked. "Why guilty?"

"Rita was the best thing to ever happen to me in my entire life," he said. "I mean, we tried our hardest to make things work between us, and for a while they were… then, just a few not-so-pleasant words, and I say I never want to see her again. How mature a thing is that to do?"

"Andrew, to just cast someone out of your life like that… I'll admit, it's not the smartest thing to do…" Lita said. "But if things were that hard to keep together, then maybe breaking it up was the best thing you could have done."

"That's what I try to tell myself, but it just isn't working for me," he said. "Face it… I screwed up royally."

"No, you didn't!" she said. "A breakup always happens because of a problem with both the boyfriend and girlfriend. And if things were so bad that SHE broke up with you, then apparently, the problem was more with her than you. So don't go blaming yourself for what you aren't responsible for." She put a hand over his shoulder, and her turned and saw her friendly face. "You're a great guy, Andrew, and you deserve someone just as great. And it just looks like Rita wasn't the one."

Andrew had to admit she had a point.

"Maybe you two could have patched things up, and maybe not," she continued. "But what's done is done. And now's your chance to start out with someone else; someone even better. And who knows, this could even be the one you're really looking for."

Thinking of nothing else to say, she got up and looked at her watch. "I should get going now… I wouldn't want to keep you from your job…"

"Thanks, Lita," said Andrew, getting up from the ground. "I needed to hear that."

"Hey, you know I'm here for you," she said with a smile. "I'll, uh… I'll talk to you later, okay?"

"Yeah, sure."

As Lita began to walk away, her mind was screaming at her, "You idiot! That was your chance! He's single now! He's available! What better reason do you need to go for it than that?!" But then her sense of better judgment kicked in. "But what kind of a person would that make me? Not a very good one."

And as Andrew watched her walk away, his mind started talking to him as well.

"Almost any other woman would have instantly tried to ask me out," he said. "But not her. She actually sat down and told me how much of an idiot I was being, and told me there were bigger and better things out there for me… I guess that's just Lita for you… no wonder her friends love her so much. And why not? She's smart, strong, not to mention beautiful… I wonder why I never noticed how great a person she is before…"

Then, all of a sudden, something snapped in his mind, and his eyes shot wide open.

"Uh oh."

He turned toward the window, and saw one of his co-workers standing there. He peeked his head in the door and called to him, "Hey, Jimmy! Watch my spot for a second, will ya?"

The black-haired teenaged boy walked out and stood in Andrew's spot, while Andrew raced down the street after Lita, who by now was about a half a mile from the arcade entrance.

When he made his way within hearing distance, he yelled out, "Hey Lita!"

She stopped and turned, and watched as Andrew came running up behind. When he finally made it to her position, he stood hunched over, trying to catch his breath. He finally got back to a normal breathing rate, then stood up and looked at her.

"Did I forget something?" she asked.

"Uh…" he said, trying to find the right words. "Lita, uh… how much longer are you going to be in town before you've got to go back to New Orleans?"

Surprised at the sudden inquiry, she casually responded, "Another couple of days… Why do you ask?"

"Well, uh…" he said. "There's that uh, that new restaurant that opened across town two weeks ago; I've been hearing a lot of good things about it… I was just thinking that… maybe if you're not too busy… that sometime before you have to leave… maybe you'd… like to have dinner with me?"

Lita's eyes shot wide open. This was certainly a surprise. But she managed to keep herself from jumping around half of Tokyo, screaming with joy. She simply smiled at him, and answered, "I'd love to."

"Well, that's great!" Andrew cried. "Well, I mean, that's good. Uuuum… How does tomorrow night sound to you?"

"How does tonight sound to you?" she replied.

"That… uh…" he said, getting a handle of things as they came along. "That'd be great… I was planning no working tonight, but hey… I manage the place… it's my call now whether or not to work."

"Good," she said. "I'll see you there."

"I very much look forward to it," he said.

Then, they both casually walked away from each other, wildly cheering with joy inside their heads.

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~**

_I could personally see those two as a great couple. And it could work even more if Lita gets to move back home. In the meantime, I'll lay off being Serena, the all-knowing matchmaker, just this once._

_Speaking of which, Raye's been in kind of a conundrum lately. She finally confessed to me the other day that yes, she does have some feelings for Chad. That's never really been a secret to me, but the fact the finally says so, and even more, she confesses it to me of all people is a step in the right direction. Looks like all these years of Chad wooing her have finally paid off. Go Chad!_

_Unfortunately, Raye's still being her old stubborn self about it, because she still refuses to tell Chad. The guy's worked so hard to make his feelings clear to her; the least he deserves is confirmation that it hasn't been all for nothing. I made that as clear to Raye as I could, but she still just doesn't feel she can do it. If you ask me, the first thing she should do when she gets home is grab him and kiss him. But that's just not her style._

_Well, anyway, I realize it's just not my place to put those two together. If she wants to be lonely all her life, fine by me. And if she finally decides to tell him the truth about the way she feels, all the power to her._

_I'll just have to sit back and see what happens._

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~**

Raye couldn't sleep that night. She had been tossing and turning for hours since she crawled in, and even though her eyes remained closed, she never got any actual sleep. She finally sat up and leaned forward, frustrated. She was sweating a little, and she wiped it off with her hand. She took a look at her nightstand to get a glance at her clock. It was 12:08 a.m. What a time to be awake.

"Why can't I get to sleep?" she asked herself. "One would think I could sleep easier knowing Jedite and Queen Beryl were both dead. But something's still keeping me awake… but what?"

As she thought to herself, she remained quiet on the outside, and so things were rather silent. However, a few minutes later, she suddenly heard what sounded a lot like the soft strumming of a guitar… it wasn't coming from inside the house, but it was still rather close. The notes played were arranged in a way that was music to her ears, but that wasn't what caught her attention; it was the fact that it sounded so close.

"Is that coming from the rooftop?" she asked.

She pulled herself out of bed and put on a robe, then went outside. She climbed up a ladder next to one of the walls, and climbed up it until she was on the roof. She walked around it for a while, until she needed what she needed to see.

Sitting almost directly over Raye's bedroom, guitar in hand, feet dangling over the edge of the roof, was Chad. It was he strumming the guitar, and therefore the source of the music that brought Raye up there.

"Chad?"

The long-haired help turned and saw Raye standing behind him. "Oh, hey, Raye," he said. "I'm sorry, did I wake you up or something?"

"Oh, no, no, no, no," she said. "No, I couldn't sleep to begin with, but then I heard this sweet music coming from up here, I go and see what it is and, boom, here you are. What are you doing up here anyway? It's past midnight!"

"You didn't know?" he asked. "I've always been coming here at night, ever since I first came here. I'd just sit on the rooftop, practicing songs that I've been working on in my head, y'know. Would you believe there are still a few of them I just can't get right?"

"So all this time you've been coming up here in the middle of the night just to practice your guitar?"

"Actually, I used to sit over there," he said, pointing to the other side of the roof. "Y'know, over by your grandfather's old bedroom. Whenever he heard me playing at night, he'd go out of his way to come up here and chase me away!"

Raye giggled. Just the thought of her grandfather chasing poor Chad around the temple was a delight.

"But after he died, it just wasn't the same anymore," he said, suddenly becoming a little more serious. "I still played up there from time to time, almost expecting him to come up and clock me one… but it just didn't happen. And I have to admit, my music wasn't quite the same either once he was gone."

She walked up beside him and sat down. "His death meant that much to you?"

"Sure it did!" he said. "He may have been your grandfather, but he was my friend too. I mean, the guy was like a second dad to me. I mean, think about it a second. Why do you think I was just some struggling musician when my parents were loaded?"

Raye had never looked at it like that before. He had a point.

"So then… are you going to chase me down too?" he asked.

"Well, actually…" she said. "I was hoping I could just… join you up here, and listen to you play."

Chad didn't know what to say at first, but finally managed to get out the words, "Uuuuuh… sure."

He turned back to his guitar and started playing again. It was a soft, slow melody, much like a love song, but with a certain twist Chad gave to it that made it unique. Raye listened intently. She never admitted it to anyone, but from time to time, she actually enjoyed his music… even when he was singing. And while she listening, she stared out into the starlit sky, moved in a little closer, and leaned her head on Chad's shoulder affectionately.

"He's such a great guy…" she thought. "So why can't I just tell him how I feel?"

The song eventually ended with a graceful strum of all the strings.

"That was beautiful," she said.

Chad didn't answer at first. He tilted his head downward, like he was ashamed of something. He looked away from Raye, and let out a silent discontented breath.

"I love you, Raye."

Her eyes shot wide open at the sound of it.

"I know that's never really been a secret," he said, "but there isn't any other way of saying it. And I just had to say it you in person before I went insane. I love you, Raye. You're everything in a girl that I've ever wanted or needed. And I've known that all along. Ever since I first came here to the temple, I've known that you were the one I wanted to be with more than anyone else."

Raye's expression of shock fell away, and she gave off a sweet smile, realizing just how much like her he was sounding right now.

"I just had to say it," he said. "And… and I know you don't feel the same way, but…"

She could wait any longer. She grabbed him by the head, stopping his little speech, then turned it so that she could look him straight in the eyes.

"Chad…" she said, "not… another… word."

They simply stared at each other for quite a while, then they started moving in closer together, as they eyelids slowly slipped downward. Closer still, as their lips made ready to make contact. Closer still, they both could feel each other's hearts beating faster and faster.

Then finally, their lips touched, and they kissed for the very first time.

And it was worth the wait.

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~**

_Should I try to get them together? It's been a challenge of a lifetime so far… nah. I'll just see if she can do it on her own._

_Amy seems to be the least affected by the experience. She's always been the cool, calculating one of the group, so I'm really not surprised that she would show the least change from the whole Jedite/Beryl mess. Whether that's a good thing or a bad thing, I'm not too sure. Better not try too hard to figure it out; I might fry my brain._

_On the other hand though, she has been talking an awful lot lately about the situation with her and Greg. She wants to marry that man more than anything. Lucky guy. But the fact that it's been a whole year since he proposed and they still haven't gone through with it has got her worried. She keeps asking herself if Greg really wants to marry her. As much as I've tried to reassure her that he does, she still has her doubts._

_Can't say I blame her. I don't know… maybe Greg has something special in mind planned for her…_

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~**

It was about two weeks later that Amy had to return home. She got up nice and early to get something to eat, get all her things together, pack her bags, all that fun stuff. To her surprise, Serena was already up so that they could at least talk a while before she had to get to the airport. Amy had already called a taxi, but Serena forbid it and drove her to the airport herself.

She saw Amy off as she boarded her plane, but had to leave as soon as she was on board. She said she had something important to do.

The flight was satisfactory. Amy had a first class seat; she was served breakfast in the middle of the trip, and the in-flight movie was… well, let's get into unimportant details. She landed about two hours later at Hong Kong International, and called a cab to drive her home.

Once at home, she just put the keys in the lock and opened the door to her house.

Inside, everything was dark. The windows were closed and the lights were turned off. Things were silent, and very still. It gave things a mysterious feel.

"Greg?" she called. "Greg, I'm home!"

She reached for a light switch, but suddenly:

"Don't turn on the lights!" Greg's voice suddenly called out.

"Greg?" she said. "Where are you?"

"I'm in here…" he said.

The voice undoubtedly coming from the kitchen.

"What's going on?" she asked. "Why are all the lights off?"

"I need to talk to you, Amy," Greg answered, sounding somewhat ominous.

Amy put down her suitcases and walked through the living room and into the kitchen, and just caught sight of the door to the backyard closing. Greg had obviously slipped out the door just before Amy walked in.

"Greg, what is going on here?" she asked. "What's with all the secrecy?"

"Just come out here a second and you'll see, Amy," he said.

Amy simply shrugged and decided to go on. She slowly approached the door, and before she opened it, she put her ear to surface of it, as if trying to hear what was going on on the other side. She heard nothing.

"Is this something I'm going to like?" she asked.

"You'll see…"

She could stand the suspense any longer. She opened the door, and gasped.

"Surprise!" a hundred voices said at once.

A party was going on in the backyard. People were dressed in beautiful dresses and tuxedos. A path was leading from the door to the other end of the yard, where a wooden archway was constructed and decorated all around with flowers of all different colors. And standing in front of it was a priest, dressed in a white robe and carrying a bible in his hand.

Amy couldn't believe her eyes. Was this… a wedding?

If it was, it was everything she had ever imagined and much, much more. Darien was on one side of the priest, standing as the best man. On the other, there stood Serena as the maid of honor, and Raye, Lita, and Mina as the bride's maids. Suddenly, Luna and Artemis walked under her legs, spreading a trail of flower petals as they walked down the aisle.

Then, Greg walked in front of her, wearing a dashing tuxedo, with a white flower pinned to the pocket.

"Greg?" Amy asked, almost in a daze. "What… what is all this?"

"I'm tired of waiting, Amy," he said with a smile. "I love you. And I want to marry you."

"But… how did everyone get here?! Were they all in on this?"

"I called everyone a couple days before you had to come home, and I had them all flown here. And while you were on your way here, I rented the company jet and flew Serena over before you landed."

"But… why?"

"Like I said, Amy, I'm sick and tired of waiting for the right time," he explained. "I want to marry you more than anything in the world. And I want to do it now, before it's too late for us."

"I… I…" she said, almost unable to speak. "I… oooh…"

She fainted.

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~**

_Amy's lucky. Greg's a great guy. I hope once they're married that they live happily ever after… just like in the storybooks._

_And talk about storybook romances… I find it so relieving thatafter all that's happened, I still have Darien here with me. Twice before I thought he'd been taken from me, but then at the end he's all right. I love that man with all my heart. And I know he loves me. I just wish he didn't complain about past mistakes so much. But I guess he just does that because he really is sorry about them. But it's all for nothing We've been through worse before; in fact the past several weeks are proof of that!_

_I wonder what will happen in the future for us… Will we have the same kind of storybook ending we've hoped for? Only time will tell…_

**~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM****~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~SM~**

Two months passed since then. Darien had finished his job in New York City, and had officially moved back to Tokyo. However, the landlord of his apartment building had sold the empty apartment by then, so he was temporarily without shelter. Enter Serena to come to his rescue for once. Because her apartment was so big, it seemed only right that Darien move in with her. He was more than willing to take her up on the offer.

A perfect arrangement… at least that's how Serena's mother saw it. Her father, on the other hand, just saw it as a way of getting out of keeping Darien in his house while he hunts for an apartment. Sammy was neutral either way, but that was just because he and Mika had already found a place and moved in together. Luna was glad that Darien would be moving in, however, she didn't like that fact that her bed would have to be moved outside Serena's bedroom, where it had been located ever since they moved in.

So Darien now lived with Serena. And it really was a perfect arrangement. It brought them closer to each other than ever before.

In the meantime, it seemed Darien had finally stopped brooding over past mistakes in their relationship. Serena was finally glad to hear him stop, but she was somewhat concerned with his recent habits. While he usually got off of work at the hospital at 5:30 P.M., however, he was now and then coming home hours later. She knew he wasn't just getting used to the city surroundings, and if he had plans with friends he would have told her in advance.

She had a feeling he was up to something.

Then, one day a few weeks later, he left a note on her nightstand, saying:

"MEET ME IN THE USUAL PLACE."

The "usual place", it seemed, was that one section of the park that was surrounded by the beautiful gardens; the same place where they spent so many romantic moments together before. And from the familiar mysteriousness of the note, it seemed this would be no different. But from the note alone, she could tell there would be something special about this one. It was special anytime they were together like that, but something about this stood out… and you'll see why.

She arrived in the "usual place" on time, wearing a white tanktop, covered by a transparent white overshirt, complemented with skin-tight white pants and white slip on shoes. She also wore a pair of diamond-studded white earrings and a diamond necklace; a set Darien had given her as a birthday present several years earlier.

She was there alone at first, waiting for Darien to arrive. She turned her back for a moment when she heard something behind her, and felt a cool breeze brush past her when she did. She turned around, and sitting on the nearby bench was a beautiful bouquet of roses, and standing several feet behind it was, of course, Darien.

"Always one to make a big entrance, aren't you?" she asked with a smile.

"I decided to tone it down a little this time," he said. "Besides, my throwing arm's been kind of stiff lately."

The two of them then wrapped their arms around each other and kissed.

"So what's with the old 'meet me here' rigmarole," she asked. "You were kind of slacking off for a while."

"Well, I've been so busy lately that I haven't been able to see you at home that much," he said. "So, I figured the best way to correct that is to meet you outside the home; somewhere familiar to us, y'know?"

"And just why, dear sir, have you been so busy?"

"That, my dear, will have to wait until later," he said. "Right now, Serena, we need to talk."

"Oh no…" she groaned. "If you're going to start complaining again, I'm gonna have to move out of my own apartment!"

"No!" he said. "No, I've got nothing more to complain about… thanks to you. I'm not making any more mistakes. And that, my love, is a personal promise. But there are more important things we need to talk about."

"Like what?"

"Well, for one thing, that apartment of yours needs a dishwasher!" he said. "I mean, give me a break! You buy a place like that and it doesn't already come with one?!"

"Moving on!…" she said impatiently.

"Moving on," said he, "I also came here so I could thank you."

"Thank me?" she asked. "Thank me for what?"

"For everything," he said. "Serena, you're the most incredible thing that's ever happened to me in my entire life. You've given me your company, you've given me your guidance, your wisdom, your friendship, your tolerance of my constant complaining… but most of all, Serena, after all this time you've given me your love. And that means more to me than anything else on this planet. I want you to know, Serena, I love you… with my very heart and soul, and I will continue to do so for the rest of time…"

She was truly touched by his words. He rarely said anything that poetic.

"Just you being here for me," he continued, "has made me happier than I've ever been before… I have to confess… even before I remembered who I really was… whenever I saw you, I had this feeling… that you were the one I would end up with."

Serena found this hard to believe at first, then realized how cute she thought he was when they first met.

"Sure, I teased, I taunted, I annoyed you to the brink of insanity, but… but all that means nothing anymore. What matters is, we're together now."

Serena's eyes shifted downward as she saw his hand suddenly reached toward him pocket.

"And I plan to do everything I can," he said, "to make true of us for a long, long time… Serena… it would do me the greatest honor in heaven and earth…"

He eventually grabbed a small object out of his pocket, concealed it in his hand, then got down on one knee and looked up at her, while she looked down with bewildered eyes.

"if you would be my wife."

She looked down at her left hand, and saw as Darien slipped a beautiful golden ring onto her finger; one decorated with exquisite craftsmanship, all the way from the sparkling band, to the diamond on top of it, that was carved and arranged in a way that formed a magnificent crescent moon shape. Not even the real thing could rival its beauty.

"Serena," he finished, as he rose to his feet. "Will you marry me?"

She was aghast. She didn't know whether to jump for joy or start crying. A she stared don at the ring on her finger, her eyes filled with watery tears. Meanwhile, Darien rose to his feet again, as he waited for her answer.

"And if you ask me," he said, "not asking you years ago was my biggest mistake."

"Oh, Darien…" she choked. "It… i-it's beautiful…" She then looked back up into Darien's eyes, and she made her choice, while remembering the words of a friendly spirit.

"Ask yourself what the one important thing that's missing from your life is," the words were, "and when you see the first good chance of getting it, you remember what I've said, and you take it."

She turned back to matter at hand, finally gave her answer:

"Yes… yes, of course I'll marry you!"

Darien smiled. "I was hoping you'd say that."

With a cheer of pure joy, Serena jumped into Darien's arms, and they spun around together, holding one another. He finally set her down on her feet, then they looked each other in the eyes, then moved in and kissed passionately; but this was not just any kiss; a kiss like this one had been waiting for centuries to be made; made between two devoted lovers, destined to be together since before the beginning of time as we know it.

And as they held each other now, expressing their love for one another, if one looked closely on top of the Tower of Tokyo that very night, one could see the two warriors of justice, Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask, standing together on the very tip of tower, holding each other affectionately throughout the course of the long, beautiful, romantic night, like a pair of angels speaking out in the name of lovers all over the world.

And now, their fate was sealed; they would be together until the end of time as well. And as far as they were concerned, nothing was going to alter that fate.

But of course, as we have to have learned by now… some things never change.


End file.
